Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Robin clutched the sheets as he toss and turned in a frenzy. The nightmare-no, it was more than a nightmare-the memory ate at him. It tried to hurt him. And, unfortunately, hurt him it did. But, although he dreamed about them almost every night, it wasn't about his parents. That memory was for another night, another nightmare.

In actuality, he was strapped down to a table in a abnormally dull, dim room that was, of course, complete with needles, scary looking dudes in full body suits, tubes of blood, all obviously Robin's, bright computer screens, and no evil testing room is complete without a man in a black tux standing in the shadows staring at the two year old boy where the struggling toddler couldn't see him.

"Ah, have you tested the Gcy7 on him yet?" Asked a deep, confident voice coming from the man in the shadows. He cracked his knuckles, scaring the lead scientist who stood beside him.

"Oh, ah, no, sir." He stuttered. He didn't look at the man who stood beside him in fear. He was most definitely not confident. The coward didn't look at the child suffering for his sorry neck either.

"Then administer it, doctor." He said calmly. He was, even through the shadows, obviously italian. He was young, maybe twenty-five at the oldest. Like all villains, he had a goatee on his square chin. He had a strong build, too, but that was all the two year old could tell.

"But, sir, it could cause unknown side effects! We-we haven tested the substance yet!" The man looked up startled, then lost his nerve. It most definitely went against his morals, but that was ignored as he had to watch out for number one, "Um, r-right away."

The doctor walked over and took a single, lonesome substance and began to administer the drug to the child through his IV, "Sorry, kid."

As soon as the drug hit his system, the child began writhing in pain. He let out a startled cry as tears filled his eyes. He wasn't just fighting the restraints anymore. He was fighting himself. He was fighting his own worst enemy.

Right then, there was an explosion. Through the fires, Robin could see people marching in as the scientists and the man disappeared, running to escape, leaving him behind.

"Do you think anyone's in this wreak?" A male voice asked.

"Kinda doubt it." Another male voice replied.

"We should check anyways." A female voice said.

With his last breath before passing out in the debris and fire, Robin took in a deep breath of polluted air and screamed. When no one came into his sight before he passed out, he felt more hopeless than any other two year old ever had or would.

Robin woke with a start. A fine layer of sweat coated his body and he relaxed his strained muscles. That was one nightmare he really hated to have. A nightmare he preferred he not face. Robin gritted his teeth. Coward, he thought before curling into a ball.

Robin heard the slight beep of his bat communicator. Glancing at his alarm clock, he groaned. It was three in the morning! What was Batman calling for? He picked it up.

"Batman? What's up?" He asked as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

"You'll be staying there for a week." Straight to the point.

"Okay." With the easy reply, Robin smiled, then frowned, "What about school?"

"You'll have a ride." The line ended. Robin flopped down on his bed. This was going to be interesting.

Chapter Text

Dick mentally groaned as he opened his locker. That last night he had a nightmare, and it was affecting his concentration. That along with the fact he was three grades ahead, the anniversary of his parents death was coming up, and his guard was up from having to spend a week away from home with the people who didn't know who he was while Bruce was doing who knows what that required Robin to not be home. Or, maybe . . . it required Dick being gone?

Dick paused with his math book in hand. If Dick shouldn't've been home, then it must've been either a threat on his life, which he doubted since he was still allowed to go to school, or it had to do with his past. In which case . . . .

He shook his head. He didn't have time for this. He needed to get to his class. He unfroze and grabbed the rest of his stuff, forcibly not thinking about the many things that Bruce Wane, or rather Batman, was probably keeping from him. That he was keeping from him.

Dick clenched his teeth and started for his class. What was life without math, right?

Keeping his thoughts in check, he didn't notice the girl who was rounding the corner until-

"Hey!" She yelped. He ran into her.

He scrambled up, and lent her his hand. She thankfully took it. She had long blond hair in a pony tail and bright eyes. She was taller than Dick, to his utter dismay, and had a strong build, yet it didn't make her not feminine-

Crap! Dick shrunk a little when her speculative glare turned his way. Artemis! Dick made it his business to know everyone's secret identity and personal information. Of course, that included Artemis, who had been one grade ahead at Gotham City Academy under the assumed identity of Eleanor Maggie Ioannou the second, majoring in art. Naturally, Dick knew that it was her. The name proved it, having been Greek, an obvious theme, and being an ART major named Eleanor Maggie Ioannou the Second.

"I'm so sorry," he apologized, faking intimidation, "I didn't-" He cut himself off and hurriedly began gathering his books and hers.

"It wasn't your fault." She said, softening, "I wasn't paying attention." She dropped down to help him, but found he had everything in his arms. He handed her her stack. She took them quietly and stood there for a second, wanting to say something.

"Why were you in such a rush?" She asked, mentally cursing herself for using something so blunt to talk to the kid, but she was interested, even if just a little.

"Oh," Although he was excellent at hiding it, she thought she noticed a him relax slightly, but wondered if she imagined it. But he did relax, thinking she just might recognize him. "I was going to be late . . . ."

His eyes widened, "Uh, I've gotta go!" He was thankful for the excuse to leave. As he fled around the corner, he felt her stare on his back.

She was many things, curious definitely being one of them. He seemed on edge. Artemis frowned. He was familiar.

He was smart, that she knew. He was about thirteen, had black hair, a muscular build . . . . He reminded her a lot like Robin, but . . . Robin wasn't jumpy. But maybe he would be if he were in that kid's position, though.

She dismissed all thoughts from her mind when the minute bell rang and rushed to her class, being late anyways.

"So, how was your day, Artemis?" Megan asked sweetly. The only one not there was Robin, who was inside his room doing who-knew-what. Wally snorted, but continued devouring his banana without any comment. Artemis wisely decided to ignore him. Besides, her mind was on other things.

"I met a kid. He's in my grade. Got bumped up from eighth. He sits alone every day and continually gets bullied, but he practically brings it on himself. I bumped into him and, honestly, I feel kinda bad that I never really noticed before." She looked at the table, guiltily.

Wally looked up, "So she has a conscience."

"Shut up, Wally." Artemis growled, not in a bad enough mood to yell, "I really don't know what to do."

"Be a friend." Aqualad replied, "That's the best you can do."

Wally glanced up, "Anybody seen Rob?"

Just like that, the conversation was over. She was secretly glad. Artemis didn't like getting personal and didn't know why she decided to open up to them. It was a foreign thing to her, getting close to others. It didn't happen much.

"He asked not to be disturbed." Aqualad replied.

With that, Wally frowned and he walked over to the TV, like a normal human, and grabbed the remote. After ages of not finding anything good on, he settled for a news broadcasting.

"In other news, there's been an escape from Arkam Asylum in Gotham. Tony Zuco. Why is this big news? Because this manipulative murderer has been spotted here, on Rode Island. He was the murderer of many, but what finally got him caught was the murders of most of the Flying Grayson's, Mary and John Grayson, and John's sister, Angela. John's brother, Markus, was paralyzed. Mary and John's little boy, Richard Grayson was unharmed. After these happenings, Richard, or Dick, was kidnapped by Tony. Dick drove Zuco insane, at which point, Batman caught him. Afterward, Dick-"

Everyone looked up when the TV was turned off. Robin held the remote. He smiled, "How about we go do something?"

Everyone just nodded, surprised.

No one noticed Artemis's face when she had seen a picture of the little kid who had lost his family. No one knew about her decision to try to follow Aqualad's simple advice.

Especially Robin.

Chapter Text

Dick began walking. As a way to Gotham, he was flown to Wane Labs, which was four blocks away from his school. He decided simply to walk the rest of the way. He wasn't lazy, so why not?

He stretched his legs to move faster. Although he was Robin, boy wonder, crime fighter, and almost team leader, it was proven time and time again that he wasn't immune to kidnappings and attempts on his life. Then, Dick Grayson was kidnapped how many times in the past year? Dick was always more vulnerable. He couldn't fight with no boundaries since people might connect Robin and Dick. Plus, if he were kidnapped, he would be used to it. How often was he kidnapped to make him immune to the panic of being kidnapped and held for ransom? He didn't know.

Plus, he was in a bad neighborhood. He could see junkies doing and trading drugs in plain sight and people splattered with blood and other substances almost completely ignoring it and still talking to friends and walking around. Weren't they, at least, smart enough people to change clothes in public? He made a mental note to tell the commissioner and head of police to watch this area.

When a guy looked at him and pointed him out to his friends, Dick knew he was in for it. He knew it was stupid that it had to happen, but it looked like there was about to be a mugging, or kidnapping. Not, a murder, though. Guys on crack would eat up his charade of being a rich kid and would, of course, try to scam money off Wane, then get caught.

As more guys started to look up at him, he started to rush. Why go though something so unnecessary as that? It was time consuming and idiotic.

Of course, he was surrounded. Great.

"Hey, kid? Why's a kid like you walking alone?" That guy creeped Dick out. His voice was scratchy, but, at the same time, smooth as honey. Even without the freaky voice, he was enough to send a shiver up any lonely kid's back.

"I need to get to school. If I'm late, my teachers will freak." He let his voice waver a bit. It kept the identity of Robin a secret.

"A good boy, I see. I'm sure your teacher's won't miss you for one day." The way he strained the word one made the skin on, not just Dick's, but Robin's back crawl. This guy was bad news.

"Um, they'll notice. I'm three grades ahead an-and I've never mis-missed a day in my life." He figured stuttering was a good touch.

"A good boy. I like that." The guy said with a disgusting smile growing on his face. Dick backed up a step. He was too good of a target. He needed help, or at least his phone. If he could call-

As if on cue, a guy behind him tore his backpack away from him.

As Dick looked into the wicked eyes of the criminal before him. Yep, he decided, this is a nightmare.

Artemis yawned as she made her way down the road. She was up all night, unable to sleep due to persistent thoughts about everything she had ignored that happened to that kid. She had completely closed herself off from everything that didn't concern her, and to her that was selfish. It in itself was punishment enough.

She glanced up when she heard a familiar voice. She looked around until she saw the source. In a bad neighborhood she about to pass by, Damian Welch and his goons were surrounding some poor kid with neat, black hair and a strong build-

Her eyes widened, "Dick?"

She glanced around and ran to the corner where she could spy more easily. If she was needed, she could help him. He looked like she was needed.

One goon ripped his backpack away while two others secured his arms.

Damian smiled a evil grin, "Struggling will get you nowhere. Hm, stubborn. I like that."

Dick looked up, "What don't you like?"

Damian came closer and forced Dick to look in his eyes. He smiled, "Feisty, too."

Dick's eyes widened in realization, then narrowed in disgust, "You won't get away with it."

"Who says? No one's around now. And no one will be around long enough to tell anyone." He smiled and moved to play with a strand of Dick's hair.

With this, Dick kicked the guy in an area no man could tough out. Damian recoiled and fell to his knees in pain. Then Dick started struggling again.

With that, she moved in. Artemis managed to snag a nearby, unoccupied pipe and hit the nearest guy. He was knocked out. One down, six to go. She managed to free Dick easily, and they fought.

Artemis got the feeling Dick was holding out on her. She could see some trained fighting, but he wasn't really getting anywhere. And he was hurt by time they were finished.

"Thanks." He said sheepishly.

Before she could respond, though, a guy behind her leapt up at her with a shining blade in his mouth. With a roundhouse kick that was perfectly done, Dick kicked the guy square in the jaw, and he was at least a foot taller than the kid! Artemis was a super hero and she couldn't've done better! He was out like a light.

Her eyes narrowed, "You were holding out on me." She accused, "He was the hardest to fight and now he's down just like that. You could've saved yourself, fought them all single-handedly, but you didn't. Why didn't you?"

"I couldn't have. It was a moment of adrenaline. I-I would do anything to stop someone else from suffering on my account." Dick said without thinking. He took a step back when he realized what he said. Years as Batman's partner, and he accidentally let someone in?

She softened. Seeing him argue with himself, she became silent. She glanced at his backpack, now minus one strap. She walked over and grabbed it. Once she held it in front of him, he snapped out of his reverie. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

They walked to school in silence. She kept glancing anxiously at him, but he kept staring mindlessly ahead. He looked hurt. There was a bluish bruise starting to show up around his left eye. One that wouldn't be hid by a domino mask. And his uniform had been torn at a few spots. He acted as if it didn't bother him at all. In fact, it probably didn't.

It's safe to say that they were late for school, but it was never known to anyone besides the first hour teacher of Dick and his classmates that he had ever been late.

Artemis wasn't so lucky.

The rest of the week seemed routine. He would spend his time finishing his homework and avoiding most of his bullies, of course that was a hard part, and then spending lunch with Artemis, who decided that he deserved a friend. He didn't realize how good a friend she could be.

The rest of the time he was being picked on, or at the mountain.

So, on Saturday, he got a big surprise.

"Hey, guys! Guess what?" Megan exclaimed as she bounced in excitedly.

"What?" Conner asked.

"I got reservations for the circus! Isn't it great?" She rambled. She didn't see the look on Robin's face. No one did, really.

"Sweet!" Wally did a fist-pump, "Which one? When do we go?"

"Haley's Circus! It's tomorrow!" No one looked at Robin, who looked ready faint. He took the moment to disappear. Not even Conner noticed him fade into the nonexistent shadows and flee to his room.

"It sounds fun." Kal said with many agreements, "What do you think, Robin?"

Everyone paused, "Robin?"

"Okay, he has got to stop doing that." Wally growled, obviously annoyed. Together, they headed to his room, surprised when they found all the locks up on his door.

"I hear something." Conner said, frowning, "It sounds like a conversation."

"Could you relay it onto us?" Kal asked.

"-You sure there isn't something I can help with tomorrow? Anything?" Conner said, "No. I told you that you had to stay for the week. I know." Conner completely missed the stutter in Robin's voice, "But I can't. Tomorrow they're all going to Haley's Circus. Well, you'll have to deal with that yourself." Conner frowned, "That's it."

The short silence followed by the conversation was interrupted when Wally madly pounded on the door, "Rob, get out here!"

There was a short silence where they could hear locks being undone. When the door opened, Robin looked uncomfortable, even to the point of being childish.

"Do you just not want to go with us?" Wally growled. You would've thought he was arguing with Artemis instead of his best friend.

"No. I-"

"Come on! You just blew us off! You would love the circus!"

"I-I just don't like circuses." He looked away as he heard the snap of a distant trapeze.

"Don't like circuses? With all those flips and acrobatics and you don't like circuses?"

"No." The answer made Wally pause.

"You just begged Batman to give you something to do! You just don't want to spend time with us! Why not?"

When Robin looked up his eyes teared up, but he refused to cry. The boy wonder, Batman's partner, and first sidekick ever would not cry. He was backed up into a corner, and this time there was only one way out. He felt ashamed when his voice came out a whisper. "Fine."

He disappeared into his room.

They stood stunned until Artemis turned on Wally, "You didn't have to do that!"

Wally stared at her, "He-"

"You couldn't tell this was a sore spot for him? I barely know him and I know it's true he doesn't like circuses! Plus, lately, he's been off."

"What do you mean?" Kal spoke up.

"Can't you tell? He's acting different! When was the last time you heard him laugh as he disappeared?"

Wally looked up, "I-"

"Save it. I don't need to hear it." She turned and walked away.

After a moment, Megan looked up, "Did I do something wrong?"

"No. You didn't know." Kal assured her, "Let's just try to make tomorrow a good day for him."

No one heard Robin's soundless protests as he twisted and turned. In his own mind, things were awful and painful.

An eight-year-old Robin backed up as the Italian man stood before him and his family. The man smiled, but it was lost on the child as he stared into the man's multi-colored eyes.

"I require payment for your protection." The man smiled.

"We don't need protection!" John protested even after he watched much of his tent destroyed.

Tony, as he had introduced himself earlier, continued as if he hadn't heard, "And I would like the boy. We brothers need someone to carry on in our absence."

Dick backed up a step into his mother's arms, which wrapped around him fearfully, "Never!"

"Yeah," He said, agreeably, then, pulling out a phone, he smirked, "I called the police five minutes ago."

"And guess who intercepted the call." A low growl came from behind Zucco who jumped and came face to face with the Batman who sent him flying with a punch to the face.

The lion tamer tried to attack, when the dark knight dodged and flew over him to land a kick to his back.

"Come on! We gotta go!" The strong man yelled as he fled. Zucco turned back to send an icy glare at Dick before he left."

Robin opened his eyes, willing the nightmare to end before he relived anything else.

He glanced at the clock. It was almost four. He sighed. It was his nightmare all over again.

It was the anniversary of his parent's death. It was the anniversary of the end of the Flying Graysons.

Chapter Text

Batman frowned at the computer screen. After Robin got off, he still felt bad. As a parental figure, he hated that he was forcing the kid to face his worst nightmare or hurt his friends, but it couldn't be helped.

Batman pulled out a cream envelope from his pocket. It had a wax insignia on the front that Batman hadn't touched, but instead cut through the top of it. Inside had been a letter on expensive parchment. The ink letters were rehearsed and well written.

Bruce, it read, I'm out. And I'm going after the kid. He's still my property. You can't stop me. Batman can't stop me. Robin will be unable to stop me. A brother for a brother. He's mine. Goodbye, Batman. But that was good news compared to what he wrote under that. Your bird flies better than his parents.

It was Zucco. Batman could feel it in his bones.

Batman sighed. He wanted to just take Robin to some safe house, or somewhere he would be safe. Anywhere Robin would be perfectly fine.

Batman suddenly looked up. The first time Batman had met Zuco, He'd said something to the Graysons about payment, about Robin. What the guy said didn't make sense. They wanted someone to carry on their absence? They all planed to stay together, didn't they?

He rushed to the Batmobile. Zucco's brothers were still in jail.

"Fine! I-I admit it!" The strong man broke. Batman knew he was the least head-strong of the group, but he was almost surprised when he broke before Batman asked any hard questions, "Tony was obsessed with the kid. He had kidnapped him in the past, even if he didn't remember it. Tony promised we would go clean, and he said that we could, but he wanted the kid so that he wasn't alone. We didn't want to do it, but . . . we wanted to go clean and we couldn't leave him alone."

Batman's eyes narrowed. The story was fishy and sounded made up, but when Batman checked his biometrics, he recognized it as the truth. It was just from an idiot.

He turned away as his eyes widened. They were going to the circus. Zucco commented on the flight of Robin's parents. Robin was in trouble.

The communicator was out in a second, contacting Aqualad.

"Aqualad?"

"Something happened . . . ."

"I'll get the tickets." Robin volunteered.

"Oh, Robin, you don't have to do that!" Megan rushed out the words.

"Don't worry about it. Money's not a problem." He replied with slight smirk. It wasn't his usual one, though. Not at all.

They were speechless as he disappeared into the crowds.

Once they couldn't make out his shape, Artemis slapped Wally upside the head. "Ow . . . ."

It took a while to get to the front of the line, but to Robin, it wasn't long enough. He was at the back of the line, too. Once he stepped up, he almost smiled at the familiar face of the old ring master.

"Sorry, kid. No more tickets." He said grudgingly.

"That's okay, old timer. I have reserved tickets." Robin almost laughed at his face.

"Dick? My golly! It's you!"

"Yeah, it's me. Um, how much?"

"Nothing, kid. I'm not taking nothing from you."

"Nah, I'll pay."

"Sorry, kid. Not happening." They stood there for second, a battle of wills. Finally, Robin frowned.

"You know, you're still the stubborn, old man I remember."

"And you're still that cocky little kid." They smiled for a second, enjoying past memories that had been replaced by more painful ones. The pause was interrupted when Mr. Haley handed him the tickets and Dick, not Robin looked down and gasped.

"But these are-"

"Take 'em, kid. We all know you deserve them."

Dick took them and then frowned, "My friends don't know . . . ."

"That's okay. It'll be a normal show like every night. No one will know."

Robin relaxed, "Thanks."

"Hey, Rob! You coming?" Wally. Always impatient.

"See you later, kid." Mr. Haley smiled as he watched him take off, then called, "But, afterward, you will be greeting the rest of us."

Robin turned as he ran toward his friends and gave a solute. Mr. Haley had to smirk at that kid.

To say his friends were confused was an understatement.

The group got the special seats. They were at very front, past the rail separating the audience and the rink, but not in the rink.

In the beginning, Mr. Haley had dedicated the show to the Flying Graysons, as they did every show. Only the circus staff noticed him go stiff.

They watched the silliest of the acts, like cat taming, an old one Robin remembered, to the most dangerous, with stuff like clowns juggling flaming swords on a tightrope, which was as dangerous as it was funny.

But when the magician came out with a giant box, they were extremely curious.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the most amazing of magicians, the one, the only, Ozwald, the great!" Mr. Haley announced. Robin smirked. When he was a kid, whenever his assistant wasn't able to help him, Ozwald let Robin help. Wait-where was his assistant?

By his side was a large, mostly glass box. One side was a thick purple wall. It had wheels.

"Ladies and gentlemen, for today's act, I will be asking for a volunteer. Do we have any in this crowd?" Robin glanced over at his team. Wally had his hand up. Megan was holding Conner's up in her's. Kal just smiled. Artemis had her's up, but it was barely up, as if to answer a math question in school rather than be in a circus.

Robin connected eyes with Ozzy, as he had called him as a kid.

"How about you, lad? With the jacket and sunglasses?" Robin stiffened. Kal glanced at him and smiled. Wally pushed him out of his seat.

Reluctantly, Robin walked over. Ozzy grabbed his shoulder and smiled, "What's your name, lad?"

"Uh, Robert."

"Alright, Robert!"

He began talking in a low voice, "Last night, Zucco came and demanded we give you to him. We rejected him, and he got mad, but nothing's happened yet. I needed to tell you, but Haley didn't want me to." They glanced up at him, who just so happened to be glaring daggers at Ozzy.

"Thanks for telling me."

"Well, anyways, do you remember this old contraption?"

"Yeah?"

"Think we can pull some magic?"

"Sure."

"Okay, kid!" He announced to the antsy crowd, "What I've just told him do do is step inside this box! Once inside, I will spin it! You ready, kid?"

By then, he was inside the box, which locked him inside. Dick couldn't pass up the offer, "When you are, Ozzy!" His vice was loud and clear.

The audience laughed, especially his friends, "Well, he's definitely got a sense of humor!" With that, the box started to turn-

But was interrupted when the top of the circus tent was ripped off and four hooks latched on to the sides of the box. Before Robin could break out, the box began to fill with gas. Coughing and gagging, he fell to his knees and to the ground. He wasn't conscious long enough to know that his glasses fell off. Before his team could do anything, a voice boomed through the tent.

"Four years ago, the Flying Graysons fell to their deaths, well, most of them. They left behind a little boy, Dick Grayson. Now, you all witness the kidnapping of this boy. Dick Grayson." People gasped. People were stunned. It was a nightmare.

"And the one taking him is none other than his families murderer! Tony Zuco!"

Then the box was lifted out of the rink by the team couldn't help him in time.

Dick was gone.

What was worse was that Aqualad got a message from Batman right in the middle of all the chaos.

"Aqualad?" How could he explain?

"Something happened . . . ."

It most definitely was a nightmare.

Especially for Robin.

Chapter Text

Robin held back a groan. What happened? He was at the circus, wasn't he? Yeah, in the contraption . . . and Ozzy was about to spin it. Wait, then the hooks . . . . What happened after that? All he remembered was not being able to breath . . . .

His eyes widened. He was kidnapped. As a civilian. Great. His friends probably knew, now.

He tried to move his head. The air was cold on his face. His sunglasses were gone.

He shuddered as he opened his eyes to a bright room. It was well lit and extremely . . . white. It was really clean, like a hospital. There were tubes of blood and other substances. Scientists, or at least Dick assumed they were scientists, roamed in full-body suits. He glanced at a computer screen, but found he couldn't see it clearly. He glanced at the far side of the room. One scientist was talking in a low voice to a man in a tux. This time, Dick recognized the man. This was his nightmare all over again.

"Zucco." The man looked up, a smile clear on his face.

"Long time no see, Dick." Dick growled. He had no right to take him, or even talk to him.

"It's Richard to you." He snarled. He tried to move, but found he was strapped down to a table. Great.

"And it's master to you." Dick found the words he was about to say were caught in his throat. What was this guy playing at?

"I don't think so."

"Oh, you'll see."

Young Justice sat stunned. They were at a park, wishing the youngest of the group was with them. They were told not to stay at the cave for obvious reasons, like the fact that the Justice League wanted to make sure they were gone while Batman scoped his room.

Suddenly, Conner jumped, "There's something going on at the bank."

"Are you sure it's-"

There was an explosion right then. They stared at one another, then what was left of Young Justice ran across the street to the bank. Through the ash and debris, they managed to see the gaping hole in a wall where a vault used to be. They could make out seven figures. Five of them were grabbing money and stuffing it in bags. Another figure was just standing there, holding a chain to-

Aqualad had to clamp his hand over Kid Mouth's mouth to keep him from gasping.

` Robin knelt on the floor with his wrists in metal holders behind his back. His original clothes, besides his pants, were replaced with a loose shirt. He had a pair of sunglasses on. He was arguing with the man that held his chain. Everyone, besides Supes, had to strain to make out the conversation.

"You won't get away with this!" Robin growled. They all had to give him credit. The boy had guts.

"Oh?"

"Why do you even need money? You didn't seem too needy when you were prodding me with needles."

"I have to fund my practices. You should know that creating drugs is an expensive gig, especially when you're not selling them." Zucco seemed to laugh at an inside joke. Robin scowled. He understood, but didn't think it was funny.

"The league will get you. You won't succeed."

"I-" He cut off his gloating and turned to stare at the teens, "I see we have unwanted guests." The five teens tensed, ready to attack, or defend, whichever came first.

"We'll take care of 'em boss!" One of the others said as he started to stand, but Zucco put out a hand in disregard. The thug slowly went back to what he was doing.

"No. This is why the little bird is here." The team stared at Zucco in confusion. He just smirked, pulling Robin to his feet.

"Guys! Get out of here!" Robin yelled. His anticipation seemed to amuse Tony.

"Rob!" Kid yelled in disbelief in the sudden quiet.

"We can't leave you with this guy!" Artemis stated, drawing an arrow.

"Too bad." Zuco muttered.

"We're taking you back!" Megan added, finally finding a voice.

Tony smiled, then dropped the chain. Five kids looked at him in confusion while one stared in horror. "The king requires assistance. Will his humble servant oblige?"

Robin's eyes suddenly lost their humanly glow, not that his friends would know. His body straightened. In an emotionless voice, he stated, "His servant awaits his master's orders."

Sudden understanding made the teens jaws drop. They were about to fight their littlest team member, their youngest, and strongest.

"Render all who oppose me incapable."

Robin's holder's fell to his feet. He stepped toward them, his hands at his sides, more ready to fight than anyone else.

"Megan!" Aqualad stated, staring at their friend.

She nodded.

He's been brainwashed! Wally's unmistakeable voice yelled in their heads.

Come on, idiot! We have to do something! Artemis growled.

Kid, Artemis, focus! Aqualad got the closest to a growl than he ever had before, we have to have a plan!

Someone should distract him while someone else gets them. Then we should knock him out so we can take him back to the mountain. Superboy growled. They stared at him in shock for a second before Aqualad took action.

Kid, Superboy, and Megan, distract him. Artemis and I will fight the others. They all nodded.

Conner charged head-on toward Robin, expecting him to dodge or stop him somehow, but Conner hit straight-on. The team gasped.

Robin tossed him away like he was less than an ounce.

Kid recovered fastest and charged, running around him in circles. Momentarily recovering, Aqualad and Artemis ran toward the other half of the room.

Faster than Flash himself, Robin moved in front of Kid Flash and punched him across the face. There was a loud crack as Kid Flash fell backward.

"Kid!" Artemis yelled right before her and Aqualad were flung back by an unknown force. They felt the air rip out their lungs.

Megan was stunned to say the least, but through that, she began a war of telepathy with him. To her surprise, he was much stronger than she expected. Objects began flying. Megan knew she was toast, but she had to try.

On the other hand, Robin's emotionless expression made no sign of effort. With one hand, he knelt down and touched the ground. The ground seemed to move in a line straight for her, but she, unfortunately, paid it no mind. It stopped right under her and leapt up. The earthen hand grabbed her around her ankle and pulled her down. It broke her concentration. She lost.

Conner barely resurfaced, and, seeing megan collapse, charged once again. When Robin turned his attention to Conner, he froze. Literally.

Ice quickly formed around him, only sparing most of his face and his right arm, which was only an inch away from his little friend. When he tried to escape, he found the ice wouldn't budge. An arrow arched it's way toward the boy wonder, but he caught it midair and snapped it.

From behind, Aqualad attacked with his sabers, knowing they couldn't hurt him. Robin grabbed the blades and, instead of throwing Aqualad away, as he had done Conner, he held them still. Aqualad's frown deepened. Then he noticed it. His hands were shaking so slightly that he would've never noticed it, had he not been there for so long.

"That's it, Robin! You can fight this!" Aqualad yelled, holding his own stance.

"Come on, Rob!" Artemis whispered from behind, her bow so tightly held that it turned her fist white.

"R . . . R-Rob?" Came a quiet whisper from beside them. Kid Flash forced himself to his feet, barely standing.

Robin dropped Aqualad and took two fist-fulls of hair. He collapsed to his knees.

"No!" Zucco yelled, "Disable them! Remove them! Kill them! Attack!"

Robin's form stiffened. It took seconds that seemed like hours before Robin stood with his cold mask obviously replaced by an even more indifferent facial expression.

"Yes, master." Then, he attacked.

Kid Flash didn't even see him move by time he was hit in the gut. He collapsed, but didn't fall unconscious. He was no longer a target.

Robin attacked Artemis. She barely managed to put her bow between herself and Robin, but it was split down the center. She went to kick him, but he flipped out of the way. He pointed two finger at her.

If Aqualad hadn't attempted to put him in a headlock, a bolt of lightning would've hit her. Instead, his shades were knocked off his face, revealing something startling.

His dark blue, emotionless eyes were full of tears, few of which managed to escape. Everyone saw. All his friends stared, even Aqualad and Artemis, who opened themselves up to him.

He attacked Aqualad with flaming hands. Fire against water. Water against fire. Unfortunately, water doesn't always win. It didn't this time. Aqualad felt himself thrown down, his clothes smoking and burned.

Before Artemis could do anything, earth began gathering at her feet. By time she noticed, she was too late. It gathered around her and hardened, caging her.

They all stared at Robin when he collapsed, grasping his temples.

"Come." Zucco commanded, but this time, he stayed where he was. Zucco stood patiently, awaiting the answer he knew would come. But it didn't come.

Instead, Robin, the real Robin, looked up, "No." They all stared at him. "No." he whispered again, but weaker. Before he could even say one more thing, his arms gave out. He collapsed, hitting the debris covered earth.

Zucco frowned, "That'll put a damper on my plans. I suppose a month or two off won't matter." He clapped his hands, "Kane, get the boy."

Kane turned out to be young girl. She was a bit shorter than Robin, but still probably around his age. Her skin was grey with red stripes zagging around her neck, arms, and legs. Her hair was golden and her eyes were the same color as her skin. Around her neck was a gold locket the same color as her belt that was around her waist. Her short, dark purple dress was the same color as her boots. She hoisted him across her petite shoulder.

The rest of them left. Kane turned to disappear.

But before Zuco could, too, Conner crazily shouted, "What did you do to him?"

Zucco stopped in his tracks and though for a moment, "Well, I suppose it couldn't do any harm to tell you. When the boy was born, he had a heart disease deemed incurable. He was said to die in just four months. His parents were desperate, and, at the time, I recognized that the doctors made a mistake. So I tricked his parents into giving him to me for treatment and treated the real illness. I kept the boy for two years in which I tested new drugs on him that the government had no idea existed. However, I was discovered and, after resetting my labs, I went after him again. He was eight by then. His parents didn't give him up, they're dead now, and I was caught by the Batman. So, I escaped and just took back what was rightly mine."

"But . . . but," Kid started weakly, "Rob doesn't have . . . any powers."

"He does, actually. Has since the first drug. He just somehow unconsciously blocks them. It's uncanny, really."

"How are you controlling him." Growled Superboy.

"Ever since he was one, he was a fighter. I had to install it in his mind to keep him under control. But when he breaks through, I have to quit for a while. It could cause permanent damage if there's too much strain on his mind." Zucco smirked, "That's why I'm breaking him. Once he does it willingly, the strain will be gone, and I will be able to control him better."

"Y-You're crazy!" Kid gasped just as sirens could be heard.

Zucco laughed, "Hate to run, but I have other matters to attend to."

Then he was gone.

"Kid, contact the league. Tell them they need to secure the area instead of the police." Kid nodded at Aqualad's order, but flinched when he moved his hand to his communicator.

"Kid?" Flash's voice questioned.

"W-We need help."

Batman stared at them. Their story was outrageous, but all the evidence at the crime scene supported it. Before he could disappear, though, Aqualad spoke up.

"There's one more thing. Candy was there."

That made Batman tense, "Kane?"

"Yes." Batman let out a low growl before disappearing. Candy wasn't sweet. Not at all.

Chapter Text

Batman scowled to himself. Candy Kane . . . the informant had a hand in Robin's disappearance. She was in on this. She was with Zucco, that murderous, sick-

The sound of a batcycle cut Batman off. He took in a deep breath, collecting himself to keep Barbra from becoming too concerned. Robin was like her little brother. She'd be upset by the whole situation. She'd-wait, she didn't know. Batman's jaw tightened. He hadn't told her yet, because he hadn't seen her since Dick had been safe.

He heard her footsteps echo as they made their way toward him, and he had the sudden conflicting feelings on whether or not to tell her. It would be solved shortly, but then again Robin was . . . well, Robin, the reckless kid that she loved and cared for that knew every one of her secrets. The kid she trusted and looked after. He was . . . family. She deserved to know.

"Hey. what's up?" She said leaning on the computer.

"Batgirl, since last time you've been here, something happened." She pulled down her mask, eyes carefully calculating. He regretted saying what he said next before he even said it, "Robin was kidnapped, and I'm putting you in charge of his team and their welfare."

It was a good thing she was out of school for the time being.

. . .

"She's in charge of the team?" Wally repeated, incredulously, then continued bantering "But that's Kal's job! Did the bat lose his sanity?"

"Yes." Barbra replied simply as she walked in, causing Wally to go bright red. In her opinion, he looked like a tomato, "He did. What you don't understand is that Batman is attached to Robin. When Robin gets hurt, he always blames himself. The first time was the worst."

Wally tried to argue, but found he couldn't, but he did continue to speak, "You know, we all lost a friend-"

"No!" She turned on him hotly, "You misplaced a friend! He's not gone and he will be rescued!" Her anger seemed to only shame the team more. After all, from their point of view it was their fault he was gone.

"It's all our fault." Megan whispered before bursting into tears. Conner, abnormally emotionally, patted her back gently. Kal turned away and leaned against a wall. Artemis disappeared. And Wally internally yelled at himself. All their frustration and pain seemed too much.

Batgirl softened, "Don't beat yourself up. He's been kidnapped before. He always gets out."

"No." Kal whispered just loud enough to be heard by everyone, "This is different. This time we were there. And his kidnapper was the murderer of his parents. And we could've stopped it. We are his team. If I had done something. I was right there. I'm the team leader. I should've done something. Anything other than stand there and watch as he was taken."

He knew they wouldn't understand. His team mate, his friend, was probably enduring something excruciatingly painful, because he was off guard. Now Robin was gone. And he blamed himself.

"You couldn't have done anything other than what you did without giving yourself away." Barbra said sternly. A part of her job was to make sure the team was emotionally stable, and, even if she hated to admit it, she knew she was failing miserably. She decided to take a different approach. "When Robin first started out, I was . . . a tad bit jealous. So, while we were making our rounds together, I bet he couldn't beat me in a race. And so we started, and while I was running, Dick noticed something and went into an ally alone. The Joker got behind him and knocked him out. Before I realized what happened, he was out. I managed to come back only to see him slung over the Joker's shoulder." She shivered. It was an awful memory that she buried deep down, but she knew she needed to share. Thankfully, she noticed it was working.

Artemis was hovering partially in the doorway. Kal was standing by the couch, but Wally was still positioned at the table, fists clenched and head down. Megan was quieting down, but still holding onto Conner's hand like a lifeline.

"What . . . what happened next?" Megan's timid voice asked.

"I tried to stop the Joker, but I failed. When I woke up, I was at the cave and Batman was hovering over me, making sure I was okay. I remember crying, and I told Batman everything. He told me it wasn't my fault, but I still felt guilty. When we rescued him, well, when Batman rescued him, the kid was roughed up, but fine. His personality was definitely intact. Batman decided to leave the job of bandaging him up to me, and went to catch a criminal. After that, well, I broke. I just fell apart." She took a shaky breath. She didn't imagine it would be this hard to tell them what happened that day.

Kal put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She could tell it was his way of reassuring himself, as well as her Helping others helped him keep his cool. She smiled up at him.

"I started crying, telling him how sorry I was, how I felt. Then, even though he was the hurt one, he hugged me. Telling me it was going to be okay even though it was my fault. Then, he looked down at me and said something I didn't expect. He looked me in the eye and told me that it didn't matter. That it wasn't the worst thing he'd been through and that if it hadn't happened to him, the chances were that it would've happened to me, and that he would prefer what happened to him."

With that, the team seemed to calm down, seemed being the operative word.

"But I'm his best friend! And I stood there and watched him choke. Maybe if I could've done something to stop what happened next." Wally's voice wavered. It was then that she realized he was crying, "I was right there!" He pounded his fist on the table, ignoring the pain in his hand and the burning tears glistening on his white fist, "The kid . . . ."

That was when Barbra snapped. She was tired, mentally and physically exhausted, and he had just crossed the line. He didn't see her coming at all. She punched him, then lifted him off the ground by the collar and pulled him close to her face.

"Look at me." She commanded. He opened teary eyes.

"Batgirl!" Kal yelled.

"Robin is many things. Strong, courageous, intelligent, bold, daring, heroic. But the one thing people love to call him is a kid. He may be thirteen, but he's no kid. He's young, but he's the oldest, even if he came after me. And, even if you've always been looking over him, he's always been looking over you." She dropped him, "All of you."

"Batgirl." Kal said surprised.

"I didn't even want him on the team after the first time, because of you."

"The first time?" Conner spoke up.

She stared at them incredulously, "Forget it." Before anyone could ask, she looked up, "What happened next?"

They all exchanged looks before Kal looked up at her cautiously, "Batman didn't tell you?"

She stared them down until they told her. She took it all in silently, until-

"Candy? Kane dares . . . ." Her statement leaked acid. Her big sister instincts started to kick in. Abruptly, she turned and marched down the long hallway.

"Batgirl, where are you going?" Artemis asked as she stormed past her.

"Come on. You have a mission. Getting Robin out of that wench's clutches and throwing Zucco in jail." All their faces lit up. She could watch out for them emotionally on the mission. What mattered more was getting Robin out of there.

It was then that their odd were evened.

"Roy!"

. . .

Robin slowly opened his head and groaned. His head felt like someone had taken a chainsaw to it. No, actually, it was more like an ax. A chainsaw would've killed him faster. An ax gave him more time to suffer. Slowly, but excruciatingly, he turned his head to the side.

He was in another room. It was most likely that it was cream colored, but it was dark, so he really couldn't tell. It was probably dark to help out his condition. How nice of the evil psychopaths to make his headache easier on him. Gross. As far as he could tell, he was alone. He tried to move his left arm. It moved, so he wasn't strapped down. Unfortunately, it felt heavier than lead. Guess I can't miraculously disappear. He would've smiled, but the pain in his head was intense, more intense than anything he'd faced beside Batman. He felt a weight on his right index finger. An IV or tube? Well, it wasn't keeping him asleep.

Suddenly, a door opened. It was bright. That was the first thing that went through Robin's head. And it hurt.

It was a dim lantern, one you might just barely be able see your hands with. But to Robin, it caused intense pain that made him let out a small, pained gasp.

"Oh, you're awake!" Robin squeezed his eyes shut. Even if they were open, he'd be in too much pain to see the small, pudgy man with a voice like one of Santa's helpers. His voice was annoying, too.

Every noise, light, or even movement caused him pain, pain that made him wish he were in a coma or being beat up by the Joker or the Penguin, even though they could never beat the fully-healed boy wonder.

The guy that entered started talking to Robin about stupid things that he couldn't care less about, especially in his condition. By time he had fed him through his IV, Robin was ready to wring the guy's neck.

Finally, though, he was left alone. Sweet silence. Sweet darkness. Sweet time to form a plan that would never work for a normal, agonized, thirteen-year-old boy. But he wasn't normal.

He was partner to the dark knight, boy wonder, and-

He had been pushed past his limit.

Chapter Text

Batgirl growled. After Roy told them the location of the place he watched Robin get taken, he explained how he didn't even get past the first blockade and had barely escaped with his life, and he told them they had to help him. He said the League was incompetent and they couldn't help. So, there they were, Roy in Robin's usual seat and Batgirl next to him.

She was fuming. Her little broth-Robin was taken and no one had told her until she practically asked. And then, they were withholding information. Sure, they were trying to keep her from doing something rash, but that didn't make it right!

Candy Kane. That girl!

The team had similar thoughts. All their minds were continuously going back to the first time they had met her.

The team had all gathered in the meeting area to be told their mission. Batman stood in the front, and, surprisingly, Robin was more or less in the back of the group, having been informed to a point before the rest of them.

"Your job is only to gather information. Keep a low profile on this mission, even more so than usual." Batman said, a flirty picture of a girl with red slashes down her eyes and, literally, white skin, "She is your first option. If she goes too far in what she wants, go to the second source." When he said that, Robin could feel Batman's stare on him.

They nodded and headed to the ship. Before their minds were even linked up, Megan could feel waves of discomfort coming off Robin. He wasn't joking around, or making comments on Wally's silly comments. They, well, the ones that weren't arguing, noticed.

All they knew about this Candy Kane was that since she was six, she had all criminals wrapped around her pinky. It was a charm about her. She was a master manipulator. She was an informant to the Dark Knight about the criminal underground. She was twelve.

What they didn't know was that in return for information, Batman would provide money, shelter, and food . . . that is, until she met Robin. When he first started out at age eight, while she was seven, Batman decided to take him to the informant. She immediately liked him. So, she denied the things that were offered, and, instead, began her obsession.

They arrived at a warehouse, and, after leaving the bioship, walked inside to see her standing in the dead center of the building. When they arrived, her face lit up and she disappeared from sight.

"Hey! Where'd she-GAHH!" Kid exclaimed when he noticed her as close to Robin as she could. She was a few inches away from him, her head on his shoulder and arms wrapped around his right arm. He stood stiffly, making sure she couldn't get any closer.

"Oh, Robbie-poo! It's been so long since you visited me!" He glowered down at her white eyes unhappily. Megan decided to link them up. It was a good choice by the look on the rest of the team.

Robin, Kal started to ask, but simply couldn't find the words.

Dude, Wally exclaimed, Why is she latched onto you?

Because she has a crush, Robin growled in his mind. They could feel the mental barrier keeping his emotions and needs, like getting as far away as possible, in check.

"Candy." He replied simply, "You know why we're here."

"Yeah, the information." She replied, barely noticing what she was saying as she hugged his arm tighter. He let it lay limply.

"Your price?" He asked.

Robin, Artemis thought, stunned, what are you doing?

What I usually do, he replied simply.

"Hm," She stepped away, thinking. She was still too much in his bubble for him to be comfortable, "A kiss."

Robin! They could hear the surprise and astonishment in Megan's voice.

You don't have to do this, Superboy spoke up. Feeling the discomfort and dread coming off him, they all decided he wasn't going to do it. Candy puckered and closed her eyes.

Time for option two, Wally thought as the team began to turn away. Except for Robin.

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. Then he moved between two of his team mates faster than lightning. She opened her eyes and frowned. The stunned team stood still.

"You got your payment. Now, information." They all stared at Robin, his hands crossed over his chest.

Robin, Aqualad trailed off.

"That's not fair! That's not what I meant, and you know it!" She complained.

"You didn't specify. Information."

You didn't need to do that, came a protective growl from beside him. Artemis. He could feel Megan's agreement from his other side.

"I-that-you . . . ." She stared at him then a smirk went back into place, "Fine. You know I can't argue with you." She moved to cuddle against his chest, but, thankfully, Artemis and Megan moved into offensive stances. She got the message.

"Fine. Information," she said with a bored voice, "LexCorp. has, well, had a recent shipment of weapons sent to a storage unit at the west side of town. They were supposedly taken, but there were never any weapons at all. He was really selling these." She pulled a ring out of a pouch on her belt at her waist. She held it out to Robin, but, instead, Aqualad reached out and took a lead ring from her. "These are Kryptonite rings. You press the button on the side and it opens. As I said, Kryptonite. He's been supplying a group of thugs named the 'Silver Serpents' with weapons to destroy the Justice League. I can't have that. I've been pulling at their strings for a while now, but I know they aren't that strong. They don't have everything they need for their plan, or whatever." She shrugged, "Of course, that would cause problems if Robbie-poo wasn't around anymore, since he is part of the Justice League." She batted her eye lashes, "That's all I know."

Robin turned away grudgingly. He was the first out.

"Robin, why did you do that?" Wally exploded once they were in the air.

"This isn't the first time, Kid." He replied simply.

"We could've done it the second way." Aqualad pointed out.

"That would've ended in disaster." Robin said, "They knew we were coming."

"What? How?" Aqualad asked.

"She wanted us to get caught there. She's a master manipulator. Besides," He scowled, "I know how her mind works."

"But-wait, how long has she been obsessed with you?" Artemis looked up suddenly.

"Since I first started."

"I'm pretty sure that was crossing the line." Wally was a little pale and his voice was loud, disturbed, "Batman said not too far. That was too far."

"That wasn't too far." Robin replied, "You should've seen when she went too far. Batgirl was there." He shivered.

Candy Kane. She was sickly sweet like too much Candy.

Batgirl continued squirming in her seat uncomfortably.

"We're here." Megan whispered as she landed on a parking lot away from the building. They snuck through thick bushes and trees until a one story building came to their attention.

It was long, even if it wasn't tall. Around it were tall fences with wiring at the top. Spot lights from the roof scoped the area. Men, guards probably, roamed randomly around, never leaving an area alone long. They each had weapons clearly visible. The place seemed perfect for keeping meddling kids from saving their missing comrade.

In one word, Wally summed up how they all felt, "Crap."

Then, everything got worse. A cry of agony pierced the silence. Robin.

It had been a while, that Robin could tell. Time seemed disoriented there. A second felt like weeks and a week seemed like an hour. Robin couldn't just count, it would drive him crazy. And his head still ached, even if it was a lot better.

He started to sit up, but looked down to see restraints. Great.

Before he could do anything, the door opened and in walked none other than Zucco, who smiled as if he were at a party. Dick couldn't help it. He let a snarl pass through his lips.

Zucco laughed.

"What? Just here to torment me?" He asked.

"No."

"Why then?"

"To convince you to help me. To unleash your true potential."

Robin stared. That's when it happened. Zucco smiled and produced a small remote and pressed the button. Then he walked out and closed him in darkness . . . for a few seconds.

The entire room was bright. Everywhere he looked was a screen. For a computer geek, it was probably a dream come true. The screens suddenly focused. A circus tent. A nightmare come true.

For hours it replayed their deaths. The blood, the gore . . . the pain. When he closed his eyes, it could still be heard. The snap, his mother, the crunch, the gasps . . . the sobs.

He couldn't stand it. Eventually, he couldn't take it. He screamed, sanity slowly leaving him.

"You could stop it, you know." Zucco told him, amused.

And Robin tried. It didn't matter how wrong it was to Robin, he had to stop it. But he couldn't. All his walls and boundaries were up. None refused to give.

Yet.

Chapter Text

Robin's hand twitched. Sometime during . . . that . . . he must've fallen unconscious. As he started coming out of his numbness, he felt something wet on his forehead. He frowned. Someone was dabbing his forehead with a wet cloth or something. He opened his eyes to a dim room and . . . .

He paled, wishing he hadn't woken up.

He was on a bed with no restraints - not that it would matter considering his arms and legs were heavier than lead - but that wasn't what made him wish it.

She was sitting at the front of the bed, with his head in her lap as she dabbed at his forehead with a wet cloth, cooing his temperature. He was suddenly agitated that his hearing was coming back.

"Oh, my Robbie-poo," Candy coaxed, "It's okay. I'm here." Oh, he thought, I am so not okay.

"C-Candy? What're you doing here?" He asked. Whatever she says is a lie.

"I heard you were being kept here, and I convinced him to let me in." She said him as if it were some inappropriate word not said in public. "I couldn't convince him to let you out." She sighed, looking at a screen in front of them that Robin didn't seem to see yet, "And I have a job."

"A job?" There was an urgency in his voice.

"Yeah. I watch for intruders that make it past security and take care of them if I have to." She replied bored as if it were the lamest thing ever.

Uncomfortably, he looked at the screen, just realizing it was there. He stared, until he saw a glint of a purple costume. He was thankful for once that Candy's attention was on him, not on the screen. Batgirl.

She was kinda bad at blending in. He hoped Candy didn't notice.

Unfortunately, his prayers weren't answered. Right then, they decided to put their master plan into action. They, quietly, took out guard after guard and got as far as in the first hall. That was when Candy noticed them.

"Hm. Annoying." She muttered, "I'm sorry, Robin, but some pesky misquotes have started to annoy me." Painfully slow she detangled herself from his limp body, and walked to the door where she turned and blew him a kiss, "I shall be back, my love."

He shivered.

"Which way, Speedy?" Batgirl asked.

"Red Arrow, and, as I said, I didn't make it past the guards." She stared at the seething archer with her own bat glare.

"So we're on our own?" Kid asked nervously.

"That does not matter. We must find Robin." Aqualad replied, as he looked around.

The air was stiff. They were out in the open. Someone should've been there already, fighting. What kind of security had men, motion sensors, lasers, and traps, but absolutely nothing on the inside?

And they had two different hallways to choose between. One would lead to Robin, and the other away, or so they assumed.

"Mis-" Aqualad began, but didn't finish.

"Oh, it won't be miss for long." A voice from behind them said.

"Candy." Batgirl growled after the team gathered together in their offensive stances. Candy smiled as she strutted toward the group happily. Batgirl's eyes went straight to the belt identical to hers at her waist. Candy's left hand rested on one of the pouches. Batgirl clenched her fist. If Candy's belt really was identical to hers, then it would have stun-batarangs.

"Oh, Batgirl, here for my little bird?"

"He doesn't belong to you." She snarled, making it obvious that even Batman's hatred for the girl wasn't enough to rival her's.

"Then who does he belong to?" She replied, smirking.

"Let the boy go." Surprisingly, the command didn't come from the group, but from the now open doorway. In the opening stood a girl.

She was small, petite, even. She looked about twelve, and her body stature supported it. Her eye was a deep, dark purple and her long, black hair glinted dark blue when the light hit it. Most of the right side of her face was machine, where her eye once was now a red glass she could see and analyze through. She wore a light blue, sleeveless top with a red X on it. Below that was shorts small enough to be mistaken for a bathing suit bottom. Her legs were entirely machine, as was her left arm. Her right arm, however, had an inch around of skin before the elbow. Hanging around her neck was a golden locket with a silver, pointed S on the front. Her expression was that of utter seriousness.

Candy seemed surprised by the appearance, but got over it quickly, "Diane."

"Candy." Replied the bionic girl as she walked between Candy and the group. She turned her back on the group as if they were no threat.

"It's been a long time. Since that accident, I thought you were avoiding me." She smiled as if in on some joke.

"We both know the accident was no accident." She replied, revealing the joke. "But it isn't the matter we're discussing. Our uncle wants the boy free."

"Ah, uncle, uncle, uncle." Candy counted, shaking her head, "I have no intention of letting him go. Besides, it isn't my choice."

"Then, I'll be freeing him."

"No, you won't." Before anyone could move, especially Candy, the girl, Diane, had a laser sprouted from her wrist and had it pointing at Candy's head. Candy paled.

"As you know, it's impossible for me to not complete one of my missions given by my master out of my own free will." She said the word master as if it caused her physical pain. The laser began to warm up. "However, getting rid of you would be a pleasure."

"Si-sissy," Whimpered Candy, "I-I'm sorry."

They stood there for a second before Diane lowered the gun. Candy breathed a sigh of relief-

When Diane rose it again and shot her in the stomach. Candy was flung across the room and collapsed in a heap. The team stared in horror.

"She's not dead." Diane said as she turned toward them, "Now come along. Your friend should be at the end of the hall."

She started toward the right hall. After a second of delay, Red Arrow started after her. Following his lead, the rest of the team headed after him.

Miss Martian hooked them up. She, for some reason, felt compelled to trust her, but she could tell that most of the rest of the team weren't in agreement.

I don't trust her, Aqualad whispered through the link. Be careful.

I agree, but that doesn't mean I don't like her. Artemis's voice rang clearly audible.

I say we trust her. Red Arrow voted, after all, she said she was here to save Rob.

That doesn't mean we should follow her every move. Wally pointed out.

Megan frowned. She was tired of distrust and secrets. She just wanted Robin back. So, she decided to change the subject.

What did she mean by sissy?

Before anyone could guess, Diane replied, "Sisters. We're sisters."

Aqualad stared, "How did you-"

"Read your minds? I didn't. I'm a living computer. I analyzed your reactions, scanned your known acts, and watched closely to figure out what you each were thinking." They were impressed.

"Then, will you answer our questions?" Wally asked, over-curiously.

"I haven't talked to anyone in a while. I might as well." She glanced over at Wally, who was now beside her. "Shoot."

"Um, you're sisters? What about the mysterious accident?"

"We are sisters. Twins, actually. It horrifies me that we share the same genes." She shivered. Wally smirked. "The accident. When I was seven, my sister started playing with technology in Star Labs and when I went after her, the building exploded. She was poisoned by radiation, somehow turning into that thing you know. My dad died, and I was seriously hurt. My mom did this to me to keep me alive. She died the next week. Suicide. My uncle took me in after that." The team stared at her. Why would a complete stranger open up to them? Unless she wanted them to trust her . . . .

"What about that bit of not being able to stop a mission?" Batgirl asked slyly.

"And master?" Tacked on Artemis.

"My uncle is a mercenary, and greatly feared and respected in the criminal underground. As you know, all machines have control panels. Mine is on my back. He found it and wired it so that I have to obey him. And master . . . ." For the first time, she showed a real facial expression. She flinched. "He likes to dominate people."

Superboy looked up, suddenly interested. It probably had to do with how she was being forced to do something she didn't want to do, "Why not just fix the panel yourself?"

She was shaking her head before he even finished. "He's a genius. Did I mention that?" She flinched, "The necklace is a motion sensor for it. If anyone touches it, they receive a shock, a deadly shock."

They stared in horror. No wonder she had wanted to tell them. It was a cry for help, one that was impossible to answer.

Then, Red Arrow's head snapped up, "What does a criminal as powerful as your uncle want with Robin?"

That was when a pitiful look flashed across her face. "For quite some time now, my uncle has been searching for an . . . apprentice. Robin is a possible candidate. And he doesn't want any of them hurt before he tests them."

"A-apprentice!" Wally stopped in his tracks, making Artemis run right into him, but they decided not to argue right then.

"There are a lot of people before him." She replied, fists clenched. "He won't be bothered for a long time." She continued on, not facing any of them.

Artemis squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. Wally looked back at her before they headed back toward the direction Robin was in.

So, together, as a complete team, the group of mostly teens walked toward oblivion.

Chapter Text

The group was tense as they exited the hall to a large, white room. It was empty, but it was clean. It was so clean, in fact, that small particles of matter from their soles actually left a slight print on the floor, not that they noticed.

Diane walked over to a wall and traced her finger across it in a pattern. She then proceeded to tap the walls. She seemed . . . confused.

"Diane?" Aqualad asked.

"There's a strange compound along the walls. I'm analyzing it as we speak. And these walls are hollow. At least four inches." She slid her hands across the smooth surface, then her eye widened, "Move! Back to the hall!"

Before even Kid Flash could move, a metal door slid shut, leaving them in the blank room.

"What's going on?" Kid Flash demanded.

"It's a trap." Diane said, sighing.

"Yes, quite right." Came a voice from . . . actually, they had no idea where it was coming from, besides around them, "I had this just in case we had special intruders. I had no idea we were going to have such a crowd, though." He chuckled.

"Zucco." Diane growled. "I hope you like Slade as an enemy."

That stopped the chuckling, "Little girl, Slade should have no objection to what I'm doing."

"Robin has been shown favor. He won't allow you to continue this very long." She growled.

"Fortunately, he will be bowing to me shortly." There was more laughter.

"Slade bows to no one." She replied simply.

"And I suppose he sent you to get rid of me?"

"Of course. Your ego has recently gotten out of control. I am both here to fix that and save the boy." As she said this she straightened.

"Ah. Well, it shouldn't matter to you. After all, you could provide a decent amount of money on my way to the top. After all, I can think of many villains who would love to get rid of you, Bionica." Her fists clenched at the name. "And how many people out there want to have their fun with you sidekicks? You would bring a decent penny each. Well, we must get going."

Suddenly, the areas where Diane traced was was pulled into the wall. Out of the openings, a bright purple gas filled the room. The team's eyes widened.

Batgirl reached into her utility belt and grabbed her oxygen mask.

"Oh, and Batgirl, it's no use. The drug has already entered your blood stream. Even if you do put it on, you will collapse shortly." He laughed.

Artemis started coughing, and fell on one knee. Her breath came short.

"A-Artemis." Stuttered Wally as he grabbed her shoulder.

"Ah, the most human is down. She'll be down in just a few seconds." In the end, she fell, just like he said, "Next will be Flash Boy, there. Fortunately for him, his fast metabolism makes him have to take in more gas since his body is built to break down such substances. After him will be you, missy. Bionica isn't entirely machine." You could hear his laughter.

As he continued, Wally weakly glanced at Diane and, coughing, managed to say, "I thought you were machine."

"Yeah. That means my blood stream is cleaned by my mechanical parts, but since my lungs aren't machine, I'm vulnerable to gas and such." She said with her shirt stretched over her nose.

They each dropped one by one.

They all laughed. They were a group of boys, all physically fit. They were all jocks. And they stunk of alcohol. They were boys Artemis would usually avoid, but she was waiting for Dick, and they made her wary. She was supposed to meet with him ten minutes before, and it was starting to worry her. He wasn't the type of kid to skip out on meeting with his only friend after school.

"Hello, babe." One of the drunkards said, leaning in as close to her as possible.

"I'm not your babe." She replied, "And I'm busy."

"You don't look busy." His speech slurred. How drunk was this guy?

"I'm waiting for someone." Some of the others started chortling. It was disgusting.

"I don't think he's coming." One of them said.

"What? What did you do?" Her voice conveyed her worry, and she was worried. That kid had gotten beaten up a lot lately. And that was really giving her a headache.

"If-f you're talking 'bout the brat," He hiccuped, "I'll bet he won't be able to get up in the morning." He started laughing.

That was when she got mad. She punched the one in front in the nose. The down side was that she got blood on her hands. She headed in the general direction she'd seen him go after they'd agreed to meet.

She found him sitting against a brick wall with his one-strapped backpack and it's contents scattered around him. He was unconscious. And bloody. Why was he always bloody?

She kneeled beside him and shook his shoulder. He groaned and half opened dark blue eyes.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Got hit from behind." He replied, shrugging.

What're all these bullying programs for if the best of people still got hurt? She had to wonder. The more she knew about Dick, the more she thought it was true.

"That looks kinda bad."

He shrugged again, flinching when his shoulder made a painful popping noise. "Like I said, I've had worse."

He tried to stand, at which point Artemis helped him up. Together, they managed to get most of his stuff and walked, more like limped, to Wane Labs. Once there, Artemis frowned.

"It's too bad we had our day ruined."

"Yeah." He frowned. "How about next week? Ice cream's on me."

She actually smiled then, "Yeah. 'Til then. Bye, Dick."

"Bye, Artemis." She smiled at the fact that she told him her real name and walked away, not seeing him limp into the building and be assaulted by the guards, who hadn't expected him in such bad condition.

Artemis hadn't been happy. Not at all.

It's safe to say the boys underwear, with them in them, was found the next morning up the flagpole. No one likes a bully.

Especially Artemis.

When Robin opened his eyes, he was shackled, and, by guess, in the back of some type of truck, but that wasn't what shocked him. The fact that his friends were all opposite him was what really hit him.

But they were all basically tied up.

Miss martian was chained to the side of the truck, fire on either side of her. Aqualad was gasping, obviously unconscious. Artemis, Batgirl, and Red Arrow were shackled like him. Kid Flash was handcuffed, his legs bent at an unnatural angle. Superboy had on shackles as well, but they shimmered green-kryptonite. Then, there was a half-machine, half-girl with an oxygen mask around her face, but it didn't look like it was giving her oxygen.

Robin took a deep breath. This was bad. Really bad.

They were moving, meaning that their original hideout was compromised, probably by his friends. Figures.

He tried to say something aloud, but ended up coughing. He was gagged. How did he miss that? And it was tight, too.

He glanced up. There was a video camera and a screen at the back of the truck. Onscreen was none other than- "Zushif." Unfortunately, Robin had momentary amnesia, forgetting that he was gagged. If he hadn't been gagged, though it would have sounded extremely terrifying.

"Ah, the boy wonder awakens." Robin choose to just glare. It got good enough results. "You know it really is nice to see you in the right state of mind. Lately, you've been a bit disoriented. That means that you might as well know. I've decided to sell your friends here. When we stop they go bye-bye." The look on Robin's face was priceless. Zucco was glad to have it on tape.

"You won't get away with it!" he tried to yell, but, due to the gag, he actually said something like "Uvff vomit dret way witigh if!"

Two points for the gag. Zero for Robin.

If his friends were sold, they would probably be killed, tortured, or sold for ransom. Actually, it could be any combination of those. He shuttered. He couldn't let that happen, no matter what.

He closed his eyes. He could do this. He was the boy wonder, sid-partner to the greatest detective alive, and destined leader of his team. He could do anything. Jump from tall buildings, save lives, save his friends-

He felt his wall crumble as he crushed them each individually. He could do this.

Then, just like that, he felt unimaginable power race through him, but it all still felt wrong. He forced himself to focus on the matter at hand.

First, the fire. Ice or water. He had used that before, hadn't he? He frowned, praying that Megan was sweating less than he was. In fact, she was. Above her, cool water magically appeared and fell down, removing the fire from play. Megan stirred. Robin sighed, not realizing how much effort it took to mentally disfigure himself.

He took a deep breath, then turned his head to Aqualad, whose breathing was becoming extremely uneven. Robin closed his eyes, hoping he could pull off another water trick. He did manage, but afterward, his breathing was worse than what Aqualad's had been.

Next? Batgirl, Red, and Arty were all ready for help. And their bonds were made of metal, so . . . . It took several minutes, almost twenty, in fact, for him to liquify the metal. Thankfully, though, he did it. He gasped. This seemed so much easier when his mind was being controlled. Maybe it was because he knew just how to do it. Maybe then he didn't care about the environment and others in the area. Either way, he knew he had to hurry. They would be stopping any time soon, which wasn't good.

Um, Superboy. He stared at the metal. All he needed to do was get it off him. Robin closed his eyes. It seemed to help with his nausea. Eventually, the handcuffs were flung at the opposite wall, the clone unharmed.

He opened his eyes. His vision was blurry and his hands were sweaty.

The girl. He glanced up. Blurry. But he was in good enough shape to see the problem, and soon enough, the mask was peeled away from her face. Robin didn't see her shudder as her blue lips began to return to their original color.

Wally. He could get rid of the handcuffs and set his legs, right? Well, it didn't matter so long as he was alive when Robin opened his eyes. The handcuffs, even though they left him gasping, shivering, and with a fierce, crumbling pain in every part of his body, were the easy part. When he started to shift Wally's legs, he realized what real pain was all about. But he focused on moving them where they needed to go. When he felt his own legs begin to hurt, he just ignored it. He didn't even realize it when Wally woke up and began shouting at him to stop. All he knew was that he had to help him, no matter what. Eventually, he faded out of consciousness with what would have been a deafening scream had it not been for the gag.

By default, all the gag's points were forfeited to Robin. Two points for Robin. Gag? Zero.

When Wally woke up, all he knew was that things felt . . . comfortable. Really comfortable, like, hanging out on the couch watching football comfortable. It was weird. He was sure he had been knocked out . . . and then his legs had hurt . . . .

His eyes snapped open.

He sat up and gasped loudly. There was a dim blue light coming from his legs, and another light around Robin's.

He watched for a second as his awkwardly bent legs moved into a comfortable position and began to regenerate-

He gasped, and looked at Robin's legs, which were no longer being used to stand, but hung bellow him, limp and beginning to bleed. Badly.

"Robin!" He shouted. "Stop it!"

Robin didn't even twitch, but he could tell he'd been up to no good. He was sweaty and the look on his face was that of true agony.

"Dude! I'm okay! QUIT!" He watched Robin continue, not even bothering to notice as his friends, not counting the girl, wake. Then, the blue light faded, and Robin's head fell limply.

Wally jumped up and started shaking him until Aqualad grabbed his shoulder.

"Let him stay asleep. He should not be awake with those injuries." Wally bit his lip, and nodded.

Batgirl worked for a few minutes to remove the shackles, and once they were off, Red Arrow picked him up. Sadly, but affectionately, Megan untied the gag.

They would have stood there, painfully staring at their lost, now found little brother, but a creek made them look up.

The truck had stopped.

Chapter Text

To say Batman was angry was an understatement. After working for hours trying to find Robin, he came up empty-handed. Then, when he desperately needed something to do, he went to Mount. Justice to find out that the team, including Batgirl, were gone. This was bad. And after informing the league, well, they weren't too happy either.

He took a deep breath.

Roy had been there, too. He knew where Robin was. That was enough for Batman.

Which was why he was searching Roy's computer. Red Arrow was in big trouble.

When Diane woke, the group she had encountered were gathered around an unconscious figure in Red Arrow's arms. She figured he was Robin. She shakily stood as a loud screech came from the truck.

They were stopping. That was probably bad.

And it was.

When the doors burst open, several guards stood outside, shocked that they were awake. The group, including Diane made a protective circle around Red Arrow. They moved forward, out of the truck.

They could see the shock on Tony's face, "How did you escape?"

"Your tests backfired." Wally growled. "Robin freed us."

Then, he smiled. Tony started laughing so maniacally that they could see him in Arkam in his straight suit, "So he finally broke."

The team frowned. This was going from bad to worse.

"Men, obtain the weapon." Then, they were attacked.

The guards were, however, no match. The teens, and twelve year old, took them on without any problem. But they weren't the problem.

"I suppose this means that I have to go to jurassic measures." Zucco smiled, making the team tense. They were tired of this nightmare.

Diane rose her arm, the laser pointed directly at Zucco's head. The heros didn't move.

"Ah, Bionica. Slade must be angry. Is it your job to get rid of me?" He smiled.

"My job is to retrieve the boy by any means necessary." She replied easily.

"Why not come to my side?" He asked.

"No one crosses Slade." Her laser hummed to life.

"Well, I gave you a chance." His hand slipped into his suit pocket and brought out a small remote control. He pressed a button.

Before he could be hit, a strange, colorful current of electricity raced through her body. She gasped before she crumbled to the ground. And she wasn't the only one. No one screamed. No one remained standing.

What happened next shocked everyone.

When Artemis opened her eyes, she was walking into the school lunchroom. She glanced around. She saw her usual seat with Caitlynn and her usual bright smile inviting Artemis over once she got lunch, but she wasn't hungry.

After peeling her eyes away, she searched again, this time finding her objective. She walked over and sat at Dick's table. He had a plate of untouched food in front of him.

"Eleanor?" He asked surprised.

"No, it's Artemis." She replied a little shakily, "My real name is Artemis."

He stared at her for a second. "Why are you telling me?"

"Because . . . I see you alone a lot. And I'm tired of ignoring it. You need a friend and I need a real one." They sat there for a second in silence. Artemis wondered if she said something wrong until-

"Thanks." He was so quiet she almost missed it.

She smiled.

After lunch, Andrea walked up to her, "Why'd you sit with the reject?"

Artemis glowered at the other girl, "I made a friend. He deserves one." When she saw the look on the other girl's face, something in her snapped, "More than you do."

"The circus freak? Oh, please."

"That 'circus freak' has been through more than most adults have, and he still smiles as if it's nothing. He's nice to the people that make fun of him, that beat him up," she paused for a moment, "that are like you."

Andrea looked shocked, "Well I guess the circus freak and the scholarship girl make a good match." The prep growled before stalking off. She would ruin Artemis's social life latter.

Then, Caitlynn touched her shoulder and smiled, "How did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Stand up to her?"

"Oh." Artemis frowned, "Last night I saw the news and there was a picture of him when he was eight, crying over his parents bodies and . . . it made me realize something. There are always going to be other people hurting worse than me."

Caitlynn smiled. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"For reminding me." Caitlynn smiled, "Do you mind if I sit with you tomorrow?"

Then, it clicked. Even though she knew Robin and Dick were the same, it hadn't registered in her brain. Now it was a painful fact, one she knew. Robin was the orphan. Robin was the one hurting. Robin was the one hurting. Dick was the hero. Dick was the boy wonder. Dick was the one who every day put his life on the line. Dick was Robin. Robin was Dick.

That's why when she woke up, it was Dick's name that she screamed, not Robin's.

Dick was the hero.

His hand fell limp.

Chapter Text

Before Red Arrow fell to the ground, he managed to sit Robin on the ground. He gasped as he closed his eyes and fell into oblivion, unaware that the small sound had managed to wake the unconscious thirteen year old.

Robin, after taking in his friends and the girl's positions, pushed himself painfully to his knees. The intense pain made him want to fall back unconscious, but he couldn't. His friends needed him.

Zucco laughed, "Obtain the weapon."

Right then, everything hit him. This was the man who kidnapped him and tortured him for years after he was born. This was the man who threatened the circus, his true home. This was the man who viciously murdered his parents in front of him. This was the man who kidnapped him right after his parent's and aunts death, and his uncle's becoming paralyzed. This was the man who tried to kidnap him at his uncle's funeral. This was the man who showed his friends what a weak person he really was. This was the man who tortured him for the fun of it. This was the man who mentally scarred him. This was the man who hurt his friends. This was the man who planned to sell his friends for profit. This was the man who made his life a living nightmare.

This was the man who was going to pay.

Robin's form began to glow a radiant gold aura as he stood on his broken legs. The pain didn't register in the amount of anger he was in. Blood dripped down his brilliant form.

The guards didn't take a step toward him. As Robin took his first angry step forward. The guards turned and ran with Zucco yelling at them to come back. Robin didn't care.

Then, Robin stopped a foot from Zucco.

"Why did you do it?"

He didn't reply.

"Personal gain? Reputation? Money? Power?"

The other man stayed quiet.

"I see. You're a greedy man who cares for nothing more than his own ends."

The other man broke his silence, "No one does really. Surely you know that Robin." He gestured to his friends, "They came for themselves. They would've never came had they not known you were Robin. Dick Grayson has no one who truly cares for himself."

That hurt. It hit hard, because that was one of Robin deepest fears, something his subconsciousness told him. The light dimmed, then brightened. "No. They came, because they cared. You say they came, because they are selfish, but that's not true. They came. That's proof of their heroics. They are unselfish, unlike you."

"Ah, young and naive." Zucco said smiling. "Your real family would hate you if they knew they died for you."

The words made Robin's blood run cold. This time, when the light dimmed it didn't brighten.

"Your aunt would be the most unhappy. I'm sure you remember the fire where she left you alone in you crib as a fire had started in the trailer." Zucco smiled. He knew, because he was the one who started it.

The light flickered. Robin remembered very well. He still had a few burns. But there was one problem. When he was in the hospital, she had continuously apologized, never stopping. Until her death, she was overly protective. Zucco may have been right, but Robin wasn't going to stand for any talk about his aunt. Before he could say anything, he was cut off.

"And your uncle, on his death bed, you remember what he said? After all he said it to you." The light faded immensely, "He told you he wished he had never fallen. He said he wished the rest of the Graysons had never fallen. He said he wished it was you."

That hit hard. Harder than anything else.

Dick held his uncle's hand harder than a lifeline. His uncle may not've been able to move his hand, but he could feel Dick's grip. "I always imagine what would've happened if they hadn't died. I wondered what would've happened if that monster hadn't killed them and done this. What . . . what would've happened if I hadn't fallen. I wish I had never fallen. I wish they had never died. I wished you had fallen instead . . . ." Right then his eyes shut. He never opened them to the eleven year old ever again.

He never got to finish his sentence.

"I wished you had fallen instead once, but I was wrong for thinking that. I'm only thankful that I fell instead of you. You will carry on the Grayson legacy."

Dick Grayson cried, and cried, holding the cold hand until Bruce pried his hand away. At which point Dick told Bruce everything.

It hurt.

Just as it did then, it hurt.

"Shut up! You have no right to talk about my family!"

Zucco laughed, "And why not?"

"Because you are the reason they aren't here."

"No, that's your fault." Then, Dick, not Robin, lost it. He rushed forward, breaking Zucco's nose, and dropping to the ground to knock Tony off his feet. If only he had missed.

The golden light flew away from him as his will began to deteriorate. His broken leg made a snapping noise as it hit Tony, who flinched, but then smiled.

There was more blood than there should've been. Zucco lifted him by his neck. Robin's hands clawed at the strong hand holding him inches from the ground.

"You are mine. Your family didn't know how to use the things they had. Too bad. You're mine, now."

"I . . . I don't belong to . . . anyone." He gasped. His heart beat and breathing slowed down.

Superboy could hear the difference as he was wide awake behind them, unable to move or say anything.

"Yes, you do. Your friends will be of use as well. Selling them would be a waste if I could control you through them." He smiled.

"You . . . m-monster." Robin gagged.

This was bad. Extremely bad.

Now that the team was beginning to wake up, horror was truly rearing it's ugly head. This was a nightmare of all nightmares.

Robin suddenly felt his hearing slipping. All there was was a faint pounding. His breathing slowed down. His eyes slid shut.

Zucco stopped talking.

"DICK!" A voice yelled behind him.

Who was that? He didn't know. Friend. A true friend. Someone who was concerned. Right then, he decided he wouldn't die. He remembered yelling someone's name the same way, even if the memory was a faint one.

"Mommy! Daddy! Wake up! MOMMY! ANUNTY! Please, wake UP! MOMMY! Don't . . . don't leave me." A voice cried in his mind.

No, he wouldn't die. He would stay around for whoever that was.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. He could see four smiling faces, their arms held out for him. It hurt to look at them. His family.

But it was slowly hurting less and less. He felt happiness. True happiness.

His hand fell limp.

Chapter Text

Zucco dropped the boy in complete horror. This wasn't happening. This wasn't happening! He was the perfect weapon, not dead! All his plans, his work, the years . . . .

But there he was, dead, not living, a body!

He looked up at the other children. The alien and female archer were crying. He hated watching people cry. The male archer and the other bat had paled as if they were ghosts. The speedster was babbling to himself too fast for him to recognize the words. His voice was annoying. The super boy was in a state of shock. The leader was doing some kind of prayer in another language. Then came niece of that . . . .

Fear suddenly made itself known in his eyes. Diana wasn't angry. She was completely overwhelmed with a sharp burning directed at Zucco. She was standing, slowly and calmly making her way over to him.

His hands fumbled, dropping the small remote. It shorted out as soon as it hit the concrete. That meant he was in trouble. Big trouble.

He started to back away.

Then things got really bad.

Diane sucked in a breath, focusing on something behind him.

He froze when something touched the small of his back. That something was small, cool, and seemed a bit too much like . . . .

"Hello, Tony." His voice was much too smooth to be trusted, unreal. It made Tony's stomach twist. He knew that voice anywhere.

"S-Slade." He gasped.

All at once, the group of children quieted down, Diane fell into a kneeling position, and the chilled air froze. Slade pushed Zucco forward with the small gun. They walked around the body until Slade stood in front of Diane. Zucco stood on his left side.

"Bow." Slade commanded Zucco, who did so as if his life counted on it. Hm, actually, it did.

Diane kept her head down.

"Look at me child." She stood. Under Slade's critical eye, she seemed to shrink until she was a small, misbehaving child. The team was stunned by the sudden change.

The hand not holding a gun slapped her across the face. The team cringed as her head, the human side being slapped, snapped to the side. She turned her face to look at him, feeling her skin beginning to bruise.

"Bionica. You failed. The mission was simple. Rescue the candidate with the least possible damage, but you instead only got him a tragically painful death. I will chose your punishment once I . . . finish up here. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master."

"Good."

He turned to the coward shivering below him. Tony seemed completely submerged in fear. His hands clenched and unclenched. This was bad. Extremely bad.

"Anthony." Slade sung, "Stand."

He stood.

"You have displeased me. You kidnapped and used a child I put under my protection for your own ends, disgraced my soldier, and used my name in vain. For these crimes, you will pay the ultimate price. Say any last words now. And thank me for such a quick death."

Zucco paled, then straightened, "I-"

BANG!

An obvious smirk hid behind the mask, "Too slow." His gaze moved to the bloodier of the carcasses. He moved toward it as he whipped away blood from the mask. He knelt down next to the body and set his hand against the boy's right shoulder. He lifted and let the left arm drop. After he pulled a syringe from his glove. It was already loaded.

With slow, careful movements, he dug it into the corpses wrist. The liquid began it's trip through his veins. With the death only happening moments ago, the circulatory system hadn't shut down yet.

Slade smiled as he surveyed the body. It was extremely beaten, the legs broken in more than six spots. This boy was going to be important . . . if he wasn't dead.

Slade stood with a flourish, "Come, Bionica."

She followed obediently.

"Wait!" Shouted Red Arrow without thinking.

Slade stopped and looked back at the group of gathered heroes, "You are still alive, because I allow it. You do not order me around. And no, Bionica stays with me. No, you will not fight for her. You should be more concerned over your precious brother. Call the League. They would be happy to know he's still alive."

Miss Martian gasped. She couldn't help it.

Then things really got messed up.

The Batmobile spun between the teens and Slade. He smirked as he disappeared with Bionica.

The teens rushed over to Robin, Artemis supporting Robin's head as she gently placed his head in her lap. He didn't stir.

Batman jumped out of the Batmoblie swiftly, pushing Kid Flash out of his way.

He grasped his son's hand in his fatherly grip.

He was elated when the smaller of the two hands tightened around his. The father sighed a breath of relief. His anger could wait.

His son needed him.

Chapter Text

Two weeks. Two weeks had passed since the team got their little brother back. Dick had been immediately driven to a nearby hospital so that he could be cared for and Bruce could make a dramatic scene over his son being found. He had a concussion, was dehydrated, had his legs broken in six different spots, had some minor burns, had his blood cleaned of unknown drugs, and was in a coma, one he hadn't woken up from since he first dropped.

Bruce was by his side day and night, night and day. The team and the league were there as well, but they found that they weren't there a quarter of the time that Bruce was. It was unhealthy.

Once, when J'ohn came to visit with his niece, he tried to contact Robin by request of Bruce, but the intensive damage knocked him out for three hours. It was a nightmare, but he claimed that Dick's mind was undergoing transformation.

He said that Robin's mind was simply fixing itself. Once it was done going though recovery, he would wake up completely normal. He would be fine.

Bruce's nerves never calmed.

As the weeks went by, Robin's body healed, but he never once woke. Eventually, the press saw the story die down. The company demanded that Bruce get back to work, which he had no choice, but to do. So he did it all over his laptop from the small hospital room, praying Dick would wake up.

Bruce ended up having to go back to Gotham at night to help with crime rates. After all, Commissioner Gordon couldn't do things by himself. Gotham needed Batman like the world needed superman.

But he was always back for his little bird.

Young Justice stood solemnly next to Robin's bed. It was hard to look at him. His fourteenth birthday was that day. They had planned out everything. They were going to take him out to carnival that day. Then they would take him back to the cave for cake, presents, and movies. It was going to be awesome, but . . . .

But then that scum, Tony Zucco, had decided to kidnap him, and there they were, standing in front of their little brother who was in a coma. The only good thing was that he wasn't dead.

Like Zucco.

"Well, this sucks." Wally stated, summing up the universe in three words.

"Yeah. A nightmare." Artemis agreed.

"We must keep hope." Megan said, holding back tears as she tightened her grip on Superboy's shirt.

Kaldur nodded. "Robin is strong. He is not a child. He will pull through this."

His strong words managed to make everyone calm down. They even started bickering and doing things they would usually do at the cave, but they made sure to talk to Robin like he was awake. They couldn't stand it if they actually admitted in some twisted way that he wasn't awake, because that would lead to thoughts of him not waking up, and they wouldn't think about that.

Conner ruffled the bird's hair uncomfortably. He wanted the bird to wake, but right then he was completely comfortable. Being in Robin's presence soothed him. He sighed.

He was so deep in thought that he missed his hand twitch in response to his now messed up hair.

"Shut up, Wally!" Artemis growled.

"Come on! Rob would totally go for it!"

"Sure he would. You're disgusting, heavy on the dis."

"What? No way. I'm totally gusting. Heavy on the . . . ." He trailed off, trying to come up with a good come back. With everyone distracted, no one noticed as Dick's eyes fluttered.

"Lame come back."

"Artemis, Wally, please-" Kal began, but was sadly interrupted.

"Hey, it was better than yours!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Guys!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Not!"

"Come on!"

"Too!"

"Guys, stop it before you give Kal a panic attack."

They stopped, making Kaldur sigh. "Thank you, Robin." There was a pause. "Robin!"

The youngest member of the team smirked, laughing his signature cackle, "Hey, guys. Long time no see."

The team was officially whelmed as they gathered around their youngest member.

Chapter Text

Bruce sighed. He was sitting at the round table at the meeting. He couldn't weasel out of this one. He wished he could. He'd so much rather be by Dick's side. At least he wasn't leaving his kid alone at that hospital. He hoped that was a good thing.

Usually he would be just fine with leaving Dick with his friends, but after what happened he was a bit . . . uncomfortable with the idea.

Speaking of discomfort, Roy wasn't in the mood to withhold information from the dark knight ever again.

He straightened up as if he were listening to what his employees were talking about. Truthfully, he couldn't care less about the rise in quality of goods and amount of money his business was making. He sometimes wished he didn't have to do this part of life. All he needed in life was Batman and Gotham.

And Robin.

He felt his heart break.

If he hadn't let the boy face his past with his friends, if he had been a better detective, if he had been a better father . . . .

Bruce forced himself to straighten up and look at the stupid charts.

Dick hated circuses, or, at least he hated them now. His friends wanted him to go with them or risk bumps in their friendship. Batman forced Robin to make the choice, because of the note Zucco sent him. Batman played into his hands, letting Robin get taken. Then Harper got information on them and kept it from him. No one should be able to get information before the dark knight.

And Harper paid for it. It helped that Batman knew the source of the information.

Harper would never keep secrets again.

He shifted uncomfortably. He could have been by Dick's side, but no! He had to-

"What do you think Mr. Wane?" Asked one of his employees.

He jutted out his lip as if he were thinking. He opened his mouth, unsure of what the question had been. Oh, well. "I-"

Right then, his phone rang. It surprised him. That phone was only to be called if something happened to Dick or if . . . . an emergency . . . .

Bruce pulled it out in a flashy way. A billionaire had to know how to flaunt his money without thinking about it.

His heart skipped a beat as he read the message. He jumped out of his seat and rushed to the door, calling out his true excuse behind him. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind as he ran through the halls, pushing people out of his way.

His phone was still showing the message on the front.

It's Dick.

It's Dick.

It's Dick.

It didn't matter that people stared at him as he ran to his car. He needed to get to the hospital. He needed to get to his son.

As Bruce ran in the hospital, he prepared himself. Horror, gore, blood, pain, death . . . . He was prepared to deal with the condition of his little bird. Bruce began the process of raising the poor, orphaned child, but Batman had finished, vowing that he wouldn't let anything hurt the eight year old. The delusion had been shut down almost immediately when he was hurt the first night, but he stayed Robin. Now, though, he wasn't paying for being Robin.

He was paying for being Dick.

An orphan.

Special.

Smart.

Perfect.

Why was it always the innocent that paid?

The world was cruel.

The hall seemed to stretch on forever, but Bruce kept moving. He would run forever if he had to. Dick needed him.

So when he stopped in front of room 2D, he was expecting crying, police, nurses, anything other than the silence. Silence was the one thing the dark knight didn't want to hear. It meant- usually-that something truly bad happened.

Without a second thought, he pushed open the door.

Blood. Gore. A body. A team sharing a moment of silence for the lost.

He was prepared for those.

He wasn't, however, prepared for the team smiling in complete joy at the one sitting on the bed. The room was suddenly brighter. Dick looked up with bright blue eyes to his mentor. He was extremely healthy just by looking at him. There were no bags under his eyes, a rare, but good, change. A bright smile played on his lips at the look of utter shock Bruce must have been wearing.

"Hey." He said as sweetly as the first day of spring. "Miss me?"

In seconds, Bruce was at Robin's side. The dark knight rarely hugged, but right then, it was the dark knight that was cradling him. The dark knight was just as happy about getting Robin back as Bruce was Dick.

Dick smiled at the unexpected, expected show of emotion. His friends smiled as they left.

Then, three words slipped out of Bruce's mouth that Dick would never have imagined him saying in the current situation.

"Happy birthday, Dick."

Chapter Text

The girl was quiet as she sat on the bed. The dark hospital room had closed for the night, this being the first night that no one had been with the little bird. She knew he was out of his coma and that his family and friends had spent the moments before night arguing with the nurses about staying with him. She stared at his quiet, peaceful face. He almost reminded her of . . . .

"Jade." She heard a stony voice say.

Jade wasn't surprised. She had heard Red Arrow come in through the open window. She hadn't closed it when she entered, letting a warm night breeze into the drafty hospital room. It was probably nearing two in the morning.

"You know, he's so much more at peace when he sleeps. He almost reminds me of Artemis when she was younger." She heard him sigh as he collapsed in the seat next to the bed, watching her. He was tired, at least that much she could tell.

She was sitting at the front of the bed, Dick's head in her lap. She stroked his hair. His head shifted in her lap. She sighed.

"He's sweet."

He stared at her. "What's the real reason you're here?"

She bit her lip. Looking down at him, she sighed. It was time to the cat out of the bag. "You know, when he was captured I was hired to keep that brat, Kane, in line. When she had to leave he let himself out of his shell. It scared me. I watched him in his moments of weakness. He was so . . . broken. And alone. It hurt to watch. I felt so uncomfortable, protective even. I hadn't felt like that in a long time."

"So that's why you called me that night. You felt bad. You wanted him out of there." It was a statement, no questions asked.

"Yeah. You were the only one in the league I could trust. And I'm thankful I did." She sighed, noticing for the first time the signs of a nightmare. "It kinda scared me when Batman thanked and threatened me at the same time, though." She placed a hand on Dick's cheek.

Dick's face was screwed up in pain, or terror, it didn't matter to Jade which. His body was tense, ready to spring but unable to. He was sweaty. He was fending off his inner demons, and they were evil.

Red Arrow got up, grabbing his hand, which had clamped onto the cover. For a few moments, he stood like that, hoping Dick would wake up. He didn't

"It was awful watching him suffer like this. I couldn't stand it. I came out and held his hand. It was just like it was with Artemis after dad would have an argument with mom." She sighed, patting his cheek, managing to wake him up.

It took a few moments, but his groggy, striking blue eyes slowly opened. He stared at her for a long time, then smiled, "Sorã mai tineri."

She stared at him in shock as he fell into a restful sleep. It was Romanian. Romanian! As an international assassin, she had learned many languages, including that one. The fact that he had called her big sister made her heart turn violently inside of her chest.

"I see him as my little brother. He makes me regret leaving my little sister." She sighed.

Realizing he was still holding Dick's hand, he glanced at her. An increasingly evil and villainous idea formed in his mind.

He set Dick's hand on his chest where it had been previously resting. His idea was too wrong and twisted for him to say while holding his innocent little brother's hand.

He was going to the dark side.

"Would you do anything for him?" He asked.

"Yes." She answered immediately.

"Anything?" He repeated.

"Yes." She answered again, more aware of the question.

"Anything at all?" He pushed.

"Yes. Now tell me already, Red." She purred, taking a fist-full of his shirt and pulling him toward her, all without compromising Dick's position on her lap.

He smiled.

"Arrow . . . ."

"Fine." He told her with a wicked glint to his eye. It, however, was covered by his eye mask.

She smiled. "Our fifth date and you've already grown into doing horrible, unspeakable things."

He smirked, "I learned from the best, and I definitely don't mean Green Arrow."

She drew him closer, planting a kiss on his lips. She encountered no resistance. Just the opposite, actually.

The half-conscious boy on her lap smirked. He knew nothing other than that they were together. He hadn't heard the plan.

And the plan was evil, oh, so evil.

Chapter Text

Down in the cave, Robin was abusing the poor work out equipment. The bags that surrounded him on all sides were being hit with continuous attacks that never seemed to end coming from the boy. He seemed hurt to Bruce who was secretly watching from the shadows. It was almost painful to watch, but Bruce waited patiently.

It would be worth it if it stopped the anger that flooded his son.

His son.

Robin dropped his stance, no longer attacking. He seemed like he was just taking a minute to rest. He grabbed his water bottle and walked over to a different set of work out gear before sitting. He had taken a drink and shifted over before Bruce, not Batman, even sat down. That was more than Flash could ever say.

Robin looked at him expectantly.

"Dick, is there something wrong?" He asked.

Bright blue eyes stared at him. Bruce waited. He intended to get the other to talk.

"Yes."

When he didn't expand on that, Bruce spoke. "You can tell me."

Robin glanced away. "When I was there, he wanted me to give in to the powers. He wanted me to do what he wanted. And I found that I couldn't do anything without the powers. I-I gave in." He looked away before coming back boldly. "Robin is a symbol to kids everywhere that a normal kid can do something, cause change. How is it supposed to work when Robin has superpowers?"

Bruce pursed his lips.

Curse his kid for being so smart and putting those pieces together. Of course, that was Robin. The smartest, cutest, and most adorable manipulator in the world.

"Dick, Robin is still a hero." He started simply. "You never used your powers willingly. You always did things the right way, not even in the face of death. Then, you were a hero, because you gave in. Since you let yourself do something so painful as letting your captor win a victory over you, your friends are alive. That is what counts."

Sparkling blue eyes studied Bruce for a moment before letting a smile grace his face. "Thanks."

They sat there for a moment doing nothing, but enjoying each others presence. Then, flashing red lights went off in the cave.

The two uncapped crusaders let smiles on their usually serious faces.

"Race you to the kitchen." Bruce said.

Dick smirked, "You're on-HEY! Not asterous! Not asterous at all!"

Bruce was half way to the stairs. Robin smirked, shaking his head. He disappeared with an eerie cackle sounding behind him.

Alfred's cookies were done.

Later at the mountain, the team was happy to see that Robin had started coming again. No longer wearing the sunglasses seemed strange, though. He smirked when Wally appeared next to him.

"Long time, no see." He said.

Wally gaped at him.

Dick acted as if nothing new had happened. It was as if it were any other day at the mountain.

"Why are you acting so cool?" Wally asked.

He shrugged. "It's not like I haven't been kidnapped before."

Wally stared curiously at his friend for a moment before they walked to the kitchen. As they walked in, two embarrassed aliens separated. Robin glanced at Megan and nodded before distracting Wally so he couldn't dwell on what had just almost seen.

Superboy and Megan sent Dick grateful looks.

After a while, Kaldur and Artemis arrived and decided to explain what happened when he was out, something that Dick had obviously wanted to know.

But when they got to the part about Slade, Megan stopped herself and put everyone but Robin in a mind link.

Why aren't you telling him? Wally asked.

Because I'm not entirely sure that we should tell him. She replied.

A guy is out to make Rob his apprentice and you don't think we should tell him! Artemis practically shouted.

There was a pause before Kal spoke. I agree with Megan. If we tell him now it will only result in further stress. Besides, he will be with Batman for a long time. If he ever comes for Robin, Batman will protect him. It was too bad that Kal didn't know how short a time they really had with Robin. It might have affected his decision.

Yeah. Superboy agreed. He truly was a boy of few words.

Fine. Artemis finally agreed, seeming uncomfortable doing so.

You're going to stand for this! Wally growled. What do-

"Um, guys? Are you having a conversation without me? Because that is really not asterous." His voice startled them into ending the link.

"I'm sorry, Robin." Megan apologized. "I zoned out. I don't like thinking about that."

"Okay. Why don't you let Wally take over then?" Robin asked in a suspicious voice knowing that his best friend wouldn't keep anything from him.

Wally looked up, startled. He seemed to be torn. He sighed, before beginning. "Megan is right. It was an awful memory. Right then, Diane turned, and her gun malfunctioned. You were barely missed, he was killed, and she clipped my shoulder. Ashamed, she ran off."

Guiltily, he continued, looking at Kal for just a second to see a slightly ashamed look, but a thankful one.

So, he lied to his best friend.

Candy sat in the lair of one of the older criminal masterminds. She, along with three of his lackeys, were in comfortable black leather chairs. She and the lackeys were talking as if they were in a coffee shop rather than the lair of a psychopath known around the world.

"So how did you get the bandages?" One of them asked. She wore a purple skirt and bikini bottom, showing off her bandages for more means of manipulation. Her utility belt was wrapped around her arm.

"Oh," She sighed, "When I was working for Zucco my-my sister shot me." Her charade of tears immediately took affect.

While she was getting the desired reaction, she glanced up, seeing something that made her blood run cold. Her startled expression alerted the others almost instantly. They turned, seeing a black figure illuminated by a flash of lightning from behind her.

"Impossible . . . ." Candy whispered, "You can't be here. You're dead."

Chapter Text

The figure dropped to the ground, revealing a slender, more feminine one. "He is."

Now that the figures were in the light, they could definitely see that the first figure was a corpse. It's rotting skin was gross and decayed. It, having fallen on it's front side, could be seen as many things, especially gruesome. The fingernails were long and browning and it's hair had thick, glossy blood that was still there. Now that it had been siting there for a minute or two, Candy could smell it's disturbing odor.

On the floor laid the rotting corpse of Anthony Zucco.

Her eyes flickered back to the feminine figure. She knew it was the assassin instantly.

Jade moved like fluid toward her, and only then did she feel real fear seep into the deep corners of her mind. With the lackeys, gone without her noticing, abandoning her, she felt it coldly. It was as if she were in a swamp, up to her knees in muck, unable to move no matter how much she tried. This was bad.

"So, Candy, how are you?" Jade asked, purring in absolute happiness.

"I-What do you want?" She choked. She had begun to back up without even thinking about it.

"What do I want, sweet Candy?" Jade continued in complete enjoyment, "No, no. It's what we want."

Right then, Candy hit something, someone, in her constant backing up. She slowly turned around to see a hero, a fallen hero.

"R-Red Arrow?" She gasped, knowing that he was in the presence of an assassin. "But you're a-a hero. You won't h-hurt me. You're ag-against killing."

"Oh, no. Not this time." He replied sadistically, "The league is paying for an assassination. We don't like it when people hurt our bird." He started stalking forward, in turn making her back up, "We don't like you at all."

"Please, d-don't kill me!" She begged, looking ready to bolt any time. "I'll do any-anything!"

"Anything?" Jade asked, grasping her shoulders in a way that may have been a loving gesture had it come from someone who hadn't dug their nails into the other's bare skin.

"Y-Yes!" Candy gasped fearfully. She knew what they were capable of separately, so she was deadly afraid of them together. She bit her lip.

"Then, I suppose I can think of a deal." Jade smirked.

"Oh, but the league, especially Batman, want her dead." Roy stated. His hateful glare sent chills down Candy's spine when combined with his sadistic grin. Her lip trembled.

Everyone knew that Batman was the darkest superhero. She wasn't sure whether or not he would be for killing, but the thought sent a whole new level of fear down her spine. She met Batman, saw his absolute hatred directed at her when she was near Robin, and knew that the glare without the mask was so much worse. Would Batman really be that angry at her? Would Batman pay for her death? She didn't want to know.

"Please! I-I'll do anything you want me to!" She begged.

Roy let his grin fall, "Fine. But if Bats-"

"Please!" She yelled, genuinely afraid for her life.

"It's your funeral." Roy stated. It was all he had to say for her face to go deathly white. Clamily, Candy stared at Roy, praying he was wrong.

"Oh, back to the deal." Jade began, "Hm, Bats would probably kill you if you got near dear Robin again, so I suggest you stay away. Far away. Never come in contact with him again. You aren't even allowed to come near Dick. Richard Grayson is off limits. Understood?"

"But-"

"Understood?" Roy enforced. He wanted her as far away from his little brother as possible.

"Y-Yes." She replied.

Jade smiled. "I will hold you to your promise. And don't forget, if you ever come near him again . . . ." She trailed off, playing absentmindedly with a knife she had conveniently pulled out.

Pale, Candy nodded, "I swear."

Jade smiled, "Good."

Wally yawned tiredly. Robin had just left and he was allowed to stay the night at the mountain, so there was almost nothing that could ruin his mood.

Except his stupid conscience that was still killing him. He hated lying. Big or small, lying was lying. And Rob, with what had recently happened, was even worse. It was like lying to his little brother! How could he live with that?

There was a knock at his door.

He groaned, wanting to just die. "Come in."

The door swung open to reveal Artemis.

She, closing the door behind her, came over and sat on the bed. She only wore jean shorty-shorts and a low tanktop that in the front, which was green, read 'I love Green Arrow' on it, and on the back, which was red, read 'I love Red Arrow' on it. He almost laughed at the halarity of it all, but seeing the rest of her, couldn't. Her hair was wild and unbound, and her eyes had dark circles under them. Sitting up, he could understand. It was two in the morning.

She looked like she needed a hug. As soon as he thought it, he expelled it. He didn't want to think about that.

"What're you doing up?" He asked, sitting up so they could talk.

"I can't sleep." She replied.

They sat there for a second just staring at one another. He slipped out of the covers, suddenly aware that all he was wearing was boxers and a muscle shirt. He grabbed a brush from his table by his bed and walked over. He didn't know why he started brushing her hair, but it just felt like the right thing to do.

"Guilty?" He asked from his comfortable spot behind her as he brushed her hair.

"Yeah." She sighed, "I just can't stand lying to him. It felt wrong."

"Yeah, I know how you feel." He replied, thankful that he wasn't facing her when his hand gently removed a strand of hair and accidently brushed her face.

Blushing, she nodded, "I-I just hate it."

"Lying does that. No matter how necessary it seems like it would be, it always comes back with a vengance." He sighed, "And after, although it goes away, it still doesn't sit right with the liar. But at least we did it for a good reason. Good intentions-"

"Can be the best thing about a person." She finished, blushing madly when she realized that she had finished his sentence.

She, taking the initiative, turned toward him. They were close, extremely close. She could feel his hot breath on her cheek and one of his strong arms touching the spot on the top of her back that was bare through her tangled, exotic locks of spun gold.

They were still.

Then they were in motion.

He locked lips with Artemis slowly, savoring the feeling of her lush lips against his. She slid her hands down his back, pulling him on top of her on the bed. He kept one hand on the back of her head in her golden locks as the other locked onto the small of her back. They stayed like that for a long time before Wally had to come up for air. Both breathing hard and flushed, looked at one another.

"So, does this make us a couple?" Wally finally asked when he regained his breath.

She glared at him, "Shut up, Wally."

She rolled on top of him, resulting in them falling on the floor. Wally, taking the hit, felt his breath leave him once again and had no time to regain it before her lips crushed his once again.

Thank you, conscience.

The next morning, Artemis and Wally woke up together on the floor. After untangling their legs, they walked outside, hand in hand.

"Guys! Get in here!" Megan yelled.

The couple looked at one another. Then they were running.

Chapter Text

To the team's surprise, on the table was a group of envelopes. Each one had one of their names specifically printed on it. Megan was holding hers so tight that her knuckles were white. She looked up at the rest of the team.

"They're from Diane."

Wally and Artemis looked at one another, sensing something bad. Wally, taking the initiative, took one. After reading, he frowned. "It's from Diane alright."

Kal didn't pick his up. "If they are here, then that means that she got in and there is a possibility that her uncle knows where our base is."

They looked at one another. This was bad.

Conner looked up to speak for the first time. "Do you think that she sent one to Dick?"

That made things ten times worse.

Did she know they lied to him? If she did know, did that mean that she, or her uncle, were watching them? What would this mean for their relationship with Dick if he found out that he'd been lied to by the entire team?

Wally bit his lip. What would Dick think about him? They were best friends. Would that change?

This was bad.

When Dick woke, sweating and shaking, he was pretty out of it. But, no matter how out of it he was, he found that he couldn't miss the envelope on his dresser. When he picked it up, it didn't surprise him that it was from the girl that the team told him about.

Based on what he knew about her, she didn't sound like the type of girl who would disappear without a word.

But when he opened the letter, something felt . . . odd. Her story was just like the one that his friends gave, but . . . .

That's when it hit him. It was the exact story that his friends gave! Which meant that it couldn't be true. Go figure that she would change styles from how Megan recounted it to how Wally did. The story had to be fake!

But then . . . .

His friends lied to him. The were keeping secrets from both him and Batman. Whatever happened made them worry.

It made him mad. They still saw him as a kid who couldn't even handle the truth! It was like nothing ever changed. Frustration filled him to the rim.

Did they even see him as an equal? It was as if they didn't just go through that. How could they still think that there were things that he couldn't handle? He was just kidnapped by his parents murderer! He was made to do things that he hated! Did they honestly believe that it could be right to withhold things from him?

They started the team, because the Justice League was withholding information! Now they were doing it?

He bit his lip.

The one person on that team that he trusted more than anything had lied to him. They must not have been as close as he thought if this was going on.

He sighed.

It was time to talk to Batman.

At the mountain, the team found themselves chatting with Batgirl, who had somehow found herself over there after the team put away the envelopes. She laughed and talked.

She didn't know they lied to Robin, to Dick.

Wally, trying to ignore the bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, smiled, suddenly thinking of something that she had said the first time she had been over. "Do you remember what you said about the first time?"

She blinked.

"You were yelling at me, angry about me calling him a kid. You mentioned how you never wanted him on the team after the first time. What did you mean?"

Her eyes widened through the mask in realization. "It really isn't my place to say . . . ."

Aqualad frowned. "If it has something to do with our teammate, we deserve to know. We are his friends. We want to keep him safe."

Batgirl sighed. "Fine. He started coming home with extra injuries that he was hiding from you. I remember that once he came back with a bloody ankle. He had taken a bullet for Aqualad. Another time, he had bruising on his back. He said that someone, or thing, had thrown kryptonite. He put in his belt so it couldn't be used." After this she recounted a time for each of them.

They were amazed. They could have all been hurt or killed had it not been for their friend.

Wally looked at Megan, obvious guilt in his eyes.

It was then that Batman was said to arrive.

The team, including Batgirl, ran over. She smiled at Batman. "What's up?"

He looked at Batgirl. "Something has come up. I will explain latter. For now, your father is on his way to pick you up."

She blinked. "So, I have to leave?"

He nodded. "Something came up. I will explain latter, after I speak with the team."

As the skulking girl left, he turned his glare on the team. Wally felt a knot form in his stomach. He knew what this meant. "You withheld information that could be important."

It wasn't a question. The team looked at one another.

"I see. Explain. Now." And so the team did.

When they were done, Batman's frown was deep. He turned away, pulling down the mask to run a hand through his hair. He sighed. "I should have known."

The team, although frightened beyond their wildest dreams, looked at one another. As if after a harsh mental game of rock, paper, scissors, Megan stepped forward. "Wh-What do you mean?"

Batman didn't turn. Instead, he explained from his position. "Our home has been being watched for a long time. Deathstroke has known our identities longer than a few of the league members. When you didn't want to speak, I didn't want to jump to the conclusion that he had finally made his choice." He looked back at them. "Because I have trained Dick to the point that he would pass all the tests for the right ambitions."

The team as a whole paled.

He knew.

He knew!

He knew!

Wally blinked. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks. "You didn't tell him. You never told him, did you?"

Batman didn't reply.

"You kept this from him!" Wally exclaimed. He only barely calmed enough not to throw himself at Batman when Artemis grasped his hand as if in comfort. But he was still mad.

"It was for his own benefit."

Aqualad, his fierce loyalty overcoming his respect for his commander, growled. "How could you hide this from Robin? From Dick? Your own apprentice?"

Right then, the zeta tubes announced Robin's arrival. "Just the way he hid the things he knew about my parents murderer." He stated. "Just the way he hid the headquarters of the Justice League. Just the way that all of you hid what happened from me."

The team stared.

"I was late for a reason. I watched on the security cameras in the Batcave. I guess I get too much from you to just trust that whatever you would say would be something that you didn't want me to hear." He looked at Bruce. "You were going to keep it from me weren't you?"

Bruce said nothing.

That was answer enough.

"Fine. I'm leaving." He peeled the mask from his eyes and dropped it to the ground. "Don't be surprised if you don't see me again." Then he was gone.

Batman kept his head down.

It was only natural that his son would know. He always knew. There were obviously reasons other than it being bad that he got in trouble for being caught hacking the computer in the Batcave. And he was only caught once.

Once was enough to know.

Once was enough to loose a partner.

Chapter Text

Anger made his sight turn bloody, but he found he couldn't quite hold it against them, him. They did it for a good reason. At least there was that much. Dick sighed. He didn't know what it was that he was going to do, but even then as he went through the zeta beam, he knew it would be insane.

Taking a deep breath, he looked up at the cave.

"Back so soon, Master Dick?" A voice asked him.

He smiled. Good old Alfred at least would never change. But there was something wrong. He couldn't stay, even for Alfred. As crazy as it sounded, he had to go.

"Alfred," The tone of his voice, betraying him in it's sadness and broken trust, alerted him immediately, "I can't stay. I have to leave."

"Leave? Wherever will you go, Master Dick?" Alfred stopped dusting in the seriousness of the matter. "What about being Robin?"

Dick bit his lip. "I don't know, but I can't stay here as Dick or Robin. I just need to go. But I want to keep helping people." He added, looking up to see a fondness in the eyes of his grandfather-figure. "I can't stay. I just need time to cool off. And I need to get away from Bruce." He sighed. "I just need time."

Alfred nodded, a sparkle in his dark, yet light eyes. "I may have just the thing."

With that, he stepped out of the light and disappeared only to reappear just a moment later with a black bag. He held it as if it were more precious than gold. "Since you were getting a tad large for your other costume, I took it upon myself to make a new one. It is rather easy to spot, but it can become darker when you need be." He smiled, running a hand over the black bag. "Master Bruce has not yet seen it."

Dick understood. Bruce hadn't planted anything on it. He wouldn't be tracked. He walked over, taking it gently. "Thank you, Alfred."

Then, without warning, he tackled the butler in a breathtaking hug. Then he pulled himself away. Alfred smiled at him sadly. "When might I expect you back, Master Dick?"

Dick bit his lip, a far away look crossing his dark eyes. "I don't know. A few months? A year?"

Alfred nodded. "Make sure you send a card, then."

"Bye, Alfie." Dick whispered after a long moment, sounding as young as he was the first time that he came up with the name.

"Goodbye, Master Dick." He went back to dusting, then, as if he were trying to lift Dick's spirits, he added, "Be home by time dinner is made. No later."

Dick bowed his head. "Have I ever been?" And he left the one who hadn't betrayed him looking slightly sadder as he did his chore without complaint.

Dick went to pack his things.

It must have been two in the morning when Batgirl finally got back to her home. After she changed into pajamas, she fell onto her bed. Her red hair fell into curls around her, but she was so tired she didn't care.

But she opened her eyes just the same as she realized that there was a figure blocking the moonlight through her window. There, sitting on the windowsill, was Dick. He looked sort of sad and, even though she could have collapsed any moment into a peaceful sleep, she couldn't help but notice a bag in one hand.

"I'm leaving." He said after a moment.

In that instant, she was jolted awake. She jumped up. "What?"

He looked at her. "I thought you deserved a goodbye."

"But you can't leave!" She yelled, then quieted her voice as she heard her dad muttering in his sleep across the hall. "You can't leave!"

There was a sad glint in his eyes. "I can't stay. Thanks for everything, but I just can't."

She stared at him, tears in her eyes. "So that's it? Thanks for saving me, being my friend all these years, and sticking up for me-Bye!"

He shook his head. "It's not like that at all."

She wrapped her arms around herself self-consciously. She figured that this was what it felt like to be truly rejected. "Then what is it like?"

He sighed. "Bruce lied to me. My team lied to me." His voice was still freshly hurt. "They thought I couldn't handle the truth of what happened on the mission. But it doesn't matter anymore. I can't stay somewhere where no one trusts that I can watch out for myself. I can't stay somewhere where everyone has already proven that they can't trust me because of my age or what I've been through. I'm sorry." He looked up at her and drew a shaky breath. "I'm saying my goodbyes to you and Roy, then I'm gone."

She blinked back fresh tears. "Where? How long?"

"I don't know." He replied. "Wherever the road leads me, I guess." Then he smiled. "I promise to write."

Barbara nodded. She pulled him into a hug. "You better, boy blunder, otherwise I'll come and get you."

Dick would never admit it, but he lost his voice for a second, especially when he felt a distinct wetness on the back of his neck. "Pinky-swear."

They stayed like that for a long time until Dick finally separated himself, waved, and slipped into the night. Barbara just stared. She wouldn't be getting to bed any time soon.

Roy didn't know what time it was when he opened his eyes, but he knew extremely well that the sun wasn't up and that that meant that his eyes shouldn't have been either. Of course, though, there was an acrobat in his room anyway. So, grumpily, he forced his eyes open and sat up. The kid didn't seem bothered that all Roy wore were his boxers and his undershirt.

Dick looked at him solemnly. "I'm leaving. Not going back to the manner."

Roy's jaw dropped. He was so surprised that he couldn't say anything.

"I don't know where I'm going, but you're not going to see me for a while. I figured you deserved a goodbye, though." Dick nodded. Sure enough, on his shoulder was a pack of things that he would need while on his little soul-changing journey.

"I-I understand." Roy stuttered. "Call if you ever need anything, kid."

He nodded, "Thanks, Roy."

Roy tried to smile, but his face still felt in shock. "Yeah."

It took a moment before Dick saluted him with a mocking smile on his face. "I'll catch you another time, then."

"Wait!" Roy called, just finding his voice before the kid disappeared for years on him. He got up and walked over to the kid, who had actually started to grow, believe it or not. He hugged the kid in a bone-crushing embrace. "You better not die on me." Just like that, it had never happened.

Dick smiled a real smile. "See ya, Speedy!"

"It's Red Arrow!" He growled at the empty room, but he couldn't deny he was smiling.

Maybe he would go back to being Speedy one of these days. But it would take a lot to mend that broken bridge. It would probably be more likely than Robin and Batman regaining their old relationship, though.

He sighed. Life was complicated.

About a month later, Candice, a frizzy haired waitress who would rather be on her cell than at work, found herself bored out of her mind. She chomped on her gum as she ran around tables, serving loads of people. But she found that her luck was changing when a boy walked in.

He was easily her age and extremely hot. He had perfectly toned muscles easily visible through his ripped up jacked. He wore a tight Superboy shirt (as a huge fan, she immediately noticed that it was a Superboy shirt, not a Superman shirt due to it's slightly different coloring, as any true fan would) and his jeans were ripped. He wore black boots. His black was spiked and his perfectly radiant skin surrounded black sunglasses that she couldn't see his eyes through. He found a table (thankfully) in her area.

Obviously, she wasted no time in going over to serve him.

"What would you like?" She asked, batting her perfectly long and curled eyelashes.

He smiled politely. "A hot chocolate, please."

"Yes, sir." She smiled. "Anything else I could get you? A sub, cake, a date?"

He smiled. "No thanks, but you are beautiful. No mistake there."

She pouted, but nodded. And off she went.

But she watched anyway. He seemed particularly interested in an article about a rich kid who went off to Russia for special studies. Of course, he quickly moved on to an article about how Robin was mysteriously appearing all over the country without Batman to stop random crimes.

Candice filled a cup. He was still high on her to-do list. He was getting his hot chocolate soon.

Right then, she looked up at the sound of police sirens. She wished that Robin would stop here in Jump some time. Crime rates were only getting higher.

She walked back to the booth to find the boy with the sunglasses gone. She blinked, then realized that there was writing on a napkin. Right next to that were ten dollars. She picked them up.

Had to do something. Thanks for the hot chocolate, anyway. Keep the change. After that, there was a smily face. Candice blinked.

How did he write this and disappear all while she was getting his drink? Besides, there was a bell at the door! The poor teen blinked in confusion before sorting the money and going back to her job.

However, outside, a large, burly man in black started to sweat. On edge and in an alley, he found himself worked up. He almost let out a sigh of relief when a shadow crossed overhead. He whirled around, crowbar in hand. He found his grip also tightened on the sack he held in one hand.

There was no one there.

Suddenly, out of the darkness, some-some thing hit him right on the hand, forcing him to send his crowbar too far away for comfort and make a very manly noise that he would never admit he made later.

He spun back around. "I don't want trouble, okay?" He called fearfully.

Dropping down behind him, Robin couldn't help but think This guy would never make it in Gotham.

The guy turned around slowly to have his eyes widen as a bunch of bats flew out of the shadows. Behind them, he could have sworn that he saw two white eyes, but he found himself staggering back, unsure.

"You should have thought of that before you committed the crime." Robin stated, coming out into the light to run at the criminal wearing the new costume that Alfred had made him in it's bright, flashy glory. It had a variety of colors, but it didn't matter. It was his new costume, and if Robin wanted, he could put it into camouflage mode.

He ran at the criminal, kicking him away and flipping back down to the ground with no problem. The criminal came back at him, swinging his huge fists and probably twice Robin's size, but Robin blocked him easily. Then he sent an uppercut and went to knee him. Then, effortlessly, Robin pushed off the wall and flew into the air.

The look on the guy's face was more than enough for Robin.

He grabbed his shoulders and threw the guy over him relying solely on momentum. Even after all that, Robin still had more than enough energy to throw him into the wall. The guy slid down it before looking up at Robin.

"Hey, this isn't your town! Aren't you supposed to be with-"

This guy must not read the news much. "Just moved here," He stated darkly, moving forward, "and from now on I work alone."

Right then, a loud noise made him look up to see a green comet enter the atmosphere and fly over the buildings where it landed with a lime explosion. His eyes widened before narrowing and landing on the criminal. He tied him up upside-down before running off to the scene of the explosion.

Instead, he found a red haired alien trying to break her cuffs on a pole that, if broken, would kill everyone on a balcony. He sent a birdarang to stop her, and stop her it did.

Well, this is whelming. He thought. And he had no idea how whelming it would get.

He would see, though, in the crazy city of Jump.

With the horrors of his past behind him, Robin found himself facing the future. And the future was bright.